THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


■■ 


mmm 


V: 


^<^v 


The  Book-Lover's  Library. 

Edited  by 

Henry  B.  Wheatley,  F.S.A. 


HOW 
TO     FORM    A     LIBRARY 


BY 

H.  B.  WHEATLEY,  F.S.A. 


LONDON' 
ELLIOT    STOCK,    62    PATERNOSTER    ROW 

1886 


lOO'b 


PREFACE. 


T  will  be  generally  allowed  that 
a  handy  guide  to  the  formation 
of  libraries  is  required,  but  it 
may  be  that  the  difficulty  of  doing  justice 
to  so  large  a  subject  has  prevented  those 
who  felt  the  want  from  attempting  to 
fill  it.  I  hope  therefore  that  it  will  not 
be  considered  that  I  have  shown  temerity 
by  stepping  into  the  vacant  place.  I  can- 
not hope  to  have  done  full  justice  to  so 
important  a  theme  in  the  small  space  at 
my  disposal,  but  I  think  I  can  say  that 
this  little  volume  contains  much  informa- 
tion which  the  librarian  and  the  book 
lover  require  and  cannot   easily  obtain 


492752 

LIB  SETS 


vi  Preface. 

elseivhere.  They  are  probably  acquainted 
with  most  of  this  information,  but  the 
memory  will  fail  us  at  times  and  it  is 
then  convenient  to  have  a  record  at  hand. 

A  book  of  this  character  is  peculiarly 
open  to  criticism,  bat  I  hope  tlte  critics 
will  give  me  credit  for  knowing  more 
than  I  have  set  down.  In  making  a  list 
of  books  of  reference,  I  have  had  to  make 
a  selection,  and  works  have  been  before 
me  that  I  have  decided  to  omit,  although 
some  would  think  them  as  important  as 
many  of  those  I  have  included. 

I  need  .not  extend  this  preface  with 
any  lengthy  explanation  of  the  objects 
of  the  book,  as  these  are  stated  in  the 
Introduction,  but  before  concluding  I  may 
perhaps  be  allowed  to  allude  to  one  personal 
circumstance.  I  had  hoped  to  dedicate 
this  first  volume    of  the  Book  Lover's 


Preface.  vii 

Library  to  Henry  Bradshaw,  one  of  the 
most  original  and  most  learned  biblio- 
graphers that  ever  lived,  but  before  it 
was  finished  the  spirit  of  that  great  man 
had  passed  away  to  the  inexpressible 
grief  of  all  who  knew  him.  It  is  with 
no  desire  to  shield  myself  under  the  shelter 
of  a  great  name,  but '  with  a  reverent 
wish  to  express  my  own  sense  of  our 
irreparable  loss  that  I  dedicate  this  book 
(though  all  unworthy  of  the  honour)  to 
his  memory. . 


HOW    TO     FORM    A    LIBRARY. 


-^=Oo@^- 


Introduction. 


LTHOUGH  there  can  be  little 
difference  of  opinion  among  book 
lovers  as  to  the  need  of  a  Hand- 
book which  shall  answer  satisfactorily  the 
question — "How  to  Form  a  Library" — it 
does  not  follow  that  there  will  be  a  like 
agreement  as  to  the  best  shape  in  which  to 
put  the  answer.  On  the  one  side  a  string 
of  generalities  can  be  of  no  use  to  any  one, 
and  on  the  other  a  too  great  particularity 
of  instruction  may  be  resented  by  those  who 
only  require  hints  on  a  few  points,  and  feel 
that  they  know  their  own  business  better 
than  any  author  can  tell  them. 

One  of  the  most  important  attempts  to 
direct  the  would-be  founder  of  a  Library 


2  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

in  his  way  was  made  as  long  ago  as  1824 
by  Dr.  Dibdin,  and  the  result  was  entitled 
The  Library  Companion}  The  book  could 
never  have  been  a  safe  guide,  and  now  it  is 
hopelessly  out  of  date.  Tastes  change,  and 
many  books  upon  the  necessity  of  possessing 
which  Dibdin  enlarges  are  now  little  valued. 
Dr.  Hill  Burton  writes  of  this  book  as  follows 
in  his  Book-Hunter:  "This,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, is  not  intended  as  a  manual  of  rare 
or  curious,  or  in  any  way  peculiar  books, 
but  as  the  instruction  of  a  Nestor  on  the  best 
books  for  study  and  use  in  ail  departments 
of  literature.  Yet  one  will  look  in  vain 
there  for  such  names  as  Montaigue,  Shaftes- 
bury, Benjamin  Franklin,  D'Alembert,  Tur- 
got,  Adam  Smith,  Malebranche,  Lessjng,, 
Goethe,  Schiller,  Fenelon,  Burke,  Kant, 
Richter,  Spinoza,  Flechier,  and  many 
others.  Characteristically  enough,  if  you 
turn  up  Rousseau  in  the  index,  you  will  find 
Jean  Baptiste,  but  not  Jean  Jacques.     You 

1  "  The  Library  Companion,  or  the  Young  Man's 
Guide  and  the  Old  Maris  Contort  in  the  Choice  oL 
a  Library.  By  the  Rev.  T.  F.  Dibdin,  F.R.S.,  A.S., 
London,  1824." 


Introduction.  3 

will  search  in  vain  for  Dr.  Thomas  Reid 
the  metaphysician,  but  will  readily  find 
Isaac  Reed  the  editor.  If  you  look  for 
Molinseus,  or  Du  Moulin,  it  is  not  there, 
but  alphabetical  vicinity  gives  you  the  good 
fortune  to  become  acquainted  with  "  Moule, 
Mr.,  his  Bibliotheca  Heraldica."  The  name 
of  Hooker  will  be  found,  not  to  guide  the 
reader  to  the  Ecclesiastical  Polity,  but  to 
Dr.  Jackson  Hooker's  Tour  in  Iceland. 
Lastly,  if  any  one  shall  search  for  Hartley 
on  Man,  he  will  find  in  the  place  it  might 
occupy,  or  has  reference  to,  the  editorial 
services  of  '  Hazlewood,  Mr.  Joseph.' " 

Although  this  criticism  is  to  a  great  ex- 
tent true,  it  does  not  do  justice  to  Dibdin's 
book,  which  contains  much  interesting  and 
valuable  matter,  for  if  the  Library  Companion 
is  used  not  as  a  Guide  to  be  followed,  but 
as  a  book  for  reference,  it  will  be  found  of 
considerable  use. 

William  Goodhugh's  English  Gentleman's 
Library  Manual, .  or  .a  Guide  to  the  Forma- 
tion of  a  Library  of  Select  Literature,  was 
published   in  1827.     It   contains   classified 


4  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

lists  of  library  books,  but  these  are  not  now 
of  much  value,  except  for  the  notes  which 
accompany  the  titles,  and  make  this  work 
eminently  readable.  There  are  some  liter- 
ary anecdotes  not  to  be  found  elsewhere. 

A  most  valuable  work  of  reference  is  Mr. 
Edward  Edwards's  Report  on  the  formation 
of  the  Manchester  Free  Library,  which  was 
printed  in  185 1.  It  is  entitled,  "Librarian's 
First  Report  to  the  Books  Sub-Committee  on  the 
Formation  of  the  Library ,  June  30,  1851,  with 
Lists  of  Books  suggested  for  purchase."  The 
Lists  are  arranged  in  the  following  order: — 

1.  Works — collective   and   miscellaneous 

— of  Standard  British  authors ;  with 
a  selection  of  those  of  the  Standard 
authors  of  America. 

2.  Works  relative  to  the  History,  Topo- 

graphy, and  Biography  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  and  of  the  United  States 
of  America. 

3.  Works  relative  to  Political  Economy, 

Finance,  Trade,  Commerce,  Agricul- 
ture, Mining,  Manufactures,  Inland 
Communication,  and  Public  Works. 


Introduction.  5 

4.  Works    relating    to    Physics,    Mathe- 

matics, Mechanics,  Practical  Engin- 
eering, Arts,  and  Trades,  etc. 

5.  Voyages  and  Travels. 

6.  Works  on  Zoology,  Botany,   Minera- 

logy, and  Geology. 

7.  Periodical  Publications  and  Transac- 

tions   of     Learned    Societies    (not 
included  in  Lists  2,   3,  or  6),   Col- 
lections, Encyclopaedias,  Gazetteers, 
Atlases,  Dictionaries,  Bibliographies, 
Indexes,  etc. 
These    draft    lists    include    4582     distinct 
works,  extending  to  about  12,438  volumes, 
including  pamphlets,  but  exclusive  of  553 
Parliamentary  Papers  and  Reports,  or  Blue 
Books.     Such  a  practically  useful  collection 
of  lists  of  books  will  not  easily  be  found 
elsewhere. 

Mr.  Edwards  gives  some  rules  for  the 
formation  of  Libraries  in  the  second  volume 
of  his  Memoirs  of  Libraries  (p.  629),  where 
he  writes,  "  No  task  is  more  likely  to  strip 
a  man  of  self-conceit  than  that  of  having 
to  frame,  and  to  carry  out  in  detail  a  plan 


6  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

for  the  formation  of  a  large  Library.  When 
he  has  once  got  beyond  those  departments 
of  knowledge  in  which  his  own  pursuits 
and  tastes  have  specially  interested  him, 
the  duty  becomes  a  difficult  one,  and  the 
certainty,  that  with  his  best  efforts,  it  will 
be  very  imperfectly  performed  is  embar- 
rassing and  painful.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  task  be  imposed  upon  a  'Committee,' 
there  ensues  almost  the  certainty  that  its 
execution  will  depend  at  least  as  much  on 
chance  as  on  plan  :  that  responsibility  will 
be  so  attenuated  as  to  pass  off  in  vapour; 
and  that  the  collection  so  brought  together 
will  consist  of  parts  bearing  but  a  chaotic 
sort  of  relation  to  the  whole." 

Mr.  Henry  Stevens  printed  in  1853  his 
pretty  little  book  entitled  Catalogue  of  my 
English  Library,  which  contains  a  very  use- 
ful selection  of  Standard  books.  In  his 
Introduction  the  author  writes,  "  It  was  my 
intention  in  the  outset  not  to  exceed  4000 
volumes,  but  little  by  little  the  list  has 
increased  to  5751  volumes.  I  have  been 
considerably  puzzled   to   know  what   titles 


Introduction.  7 

to  strike  out  in  my  next  impression,  being 
well  aware  that  what  is  trash  to  one  person 
is  by  no  means  such  to  another;  also  that 
many  books  of  more  merit  than  those  ad- 
mitted have  been  omitted.  You  may  not 
think  it  difficult  to  strike  out  twenty  authors, 
and  to  add  twenty  better  ones  in  their  place, 
but  let  me  relate  to  you  a  parable.  I  re- 
quested twenty  men,  whose  opinions  on  the 
Literary  Exchange  are  as  good  as  those 
of  the  Barings  or  the  Rothschilds  on  the 
Royal,  each  to  expunge  twenty  authors  and 
to  insert  twenty  others  of  better  standing 
in  their  places,  promising  to  exclude  in  my 
next  impression  any  author  who  should 
receive  more  than  five  votes.  The  result 
was,  as  may  be  supposed,  not  a  single  ex- 
pulsion or  addition." 

In  1855  Mons.  Hector  Bossange  pro- 
duced a  companion  volume,  entitled  Ma 
Bibliotheque  Franqaise.  It  contains  a  select 
list  of  about  7000  volumes,  and  is  com- 
pleted with  Indexes  of  Subjects,  Authors, 
and  Persons. 

For   helpful    Bibliographical   Guides   we 


8  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

often  have  to  look  to  the  United  States, 
and  we  do  not  look  in  vain.  A  most  use- 
ful Handbook,  entitled  The  Best  Reading, 
was  published  in  1872  by  George  P.  Putman, 
and  the  work  edited  by  F.  B.  Perkins  is 
now  in  its  fourth  edition.1  The  books  are 
arranged  in  an  alphabet  of  subjects,  and  the 
titles  are  short,  usually  being  well  within  a 
single  line.  A  very  useful  system  of  appraise- 
ment of  the  value  of  the  books  is  adopted. 
Thus :  a,  means  that  the  book  so  marked  is 
considered  the  book,  or  as  good  as  any,  at  a 
moderate  cost ;  b  means,  in  like  manner,  the 
best  of  the  more  elaborate  or  costly  books 
on  the  subject.  In  the  department  of 
Fiction,  a  more  precise  classification  has 
been   attempted,    in  which  a  general  idea 

1  The  Best  Reading :  Hints  on  the  Selection  of 
Books  ;  on  the  Formation  of  Libraries,  Public  and 
Private ;  on  Courses  of  Reading,  etc.,  with  a  Classified 
Bibliography  for  every  reference.  Fourth  revised  and 
enlarged  edition,  continued  to  August,  1876,  with  the 
addition  of  Select  Lists  of  the  best  French,  German, 
Spanish,  and  Italian  Literature.  Edited  by  Frederic 
Beecher  Perkins  ;  New  York,  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,1 
1881.  Second  Series,  1876  to  1882,  by  Lynds  E. 
Jones. 


Introduction.  g 

of  the  relative  importance  of  the  authors  is 
indicated  by  the  use  of  the  letters  a,  b,  and 
c,  and  of  the  relative  value  of  their  several 
works  by  the  asterisks  *  and  **/' 

Having  noted  a  few  of  the  Guides  which 
are  now  at  hand  for  the  use  of  the  founders 
of  a  library,  we  may  be  allowed  to  go  back 
somewhat  in  time,  and  consider  how  our 
predecessors  treated  this  same  subject,  and 
we  can  then  conclude  the  present  Intro- 
duction with  a  consideration  of  the  less 
ambitious  attempts  to  instruct  the  book 
collector  which  may  be  found  in  papers 
and  articles. 

One  of  the  earliest  works  on  the  for- 
mation of  a  library  was  written  by  Bishop 
Cardona,  and  published  at  Tarragona  in 
1587,  in  a  thin  volume  entitled  De  regia 
S.  Laureniii  Bibliotheca.  De  Pontificia 
Vaticana  [etc.]. 

Justus  Lipsius  wrote  his  De  Bibliothecis 
Syntagma  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  and  next  in  importance  we  come 
to  Gabriel  Naud6,  who  published  one  of 
the  most  famous  of  bibliographical  essays. 


io  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

The  first  edition  was  published  at  Paris  in 
1627,  and  the  second  edition  in  1644.  This 
was  reprinted  in  Paris  by  J.  Liseux  in  1876 —  • 
"  Advis  pour  dresser  tine  Bibliotheque,  presente 
a  Monseigneur  le  President  de  Mesme,  par 
G.  Naude  P.  Paris,  chez  Francois  Farga, 
1627." 

This  essay  was  translated  by  John  Evelyn, 
and  dedicated  to  Lord  Chancellor  Claren- 
don. "  Instructions  concerning  erecting  of 
a  Library ;  Presented  to  My  Lord  the 
President  De  Mesme.  By  Gabriel  Nau- 
deus  P.,  and  now  interpreted  by  Jo.  Evelyn, 
Esquire,  London,  1661." 

Naude  enlarges  on  the  value  of  Catalogues, 
and  recommends  the  book-buyer  to  make 
known  his  desires,  so  that  others  may  help 
him  in  the  search,  or  supply  his  wants.  He 
specially  mentions  two  modes  of  forming  a 
library ;  one  is  to  buy  libraries  entire,  and 
the  other  is  to  hunt  at  book-stalls.  He 
advised  the  book-buyer  not  to  spend  too 
much  upon  bindings. 

Naude  appears  to  have  been  a  born 
librarian,    for   at   the   early  age   of   twenty 


Introduction.  1 1 

the  President  De  Mesme  appointed  him  to 
take  charge  of  his  library.  He  left  his  em- 
ployer in  1626,  in  order  to  finish  his  medical 
studies.  Cardinal  Bagni  took  him  to  Rome, 
and  when  Bagni  died,  Naud6  became  librarian 
to  Cardinal  Barberini.  Richelieu  recalled 
him  to  Paris  in  1642,  to  act  as  his  librarian, 
but  the  Minister  dying  soon  afterwards, 
Naud6  took  the  same  office  under  Mazarin. 
During  the  troubles  of  the  Fronde,  the 
librarian  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  the 
library  which  he  had  collected  dispersed ; 
and  in  consequence  he  accepted  the  offer 
of  Queen  Christina,  to  become  her  librarian 
at  Stockholm.  Naude  was  not  happy  abroad, 
and  when  Mazarin  appealed  to  him  to 
reform  his  scattered  library,  he  returned 
at  once,  but  died  on  the  journey  home  at 
Abbeville,  July  29,  1653. 

The  Mazarin  Library  consisted  of  more 
than  40,000  volumes,  arranged  in  seven 
rooms  filled  from  top  to  bottom.  It  was 
rich  in  all  classes,  but  more  particularly  in 
Law  and  Physic.  Naude  described  it  with 
enthusiasm  as  "the  most  beautiful  and  best 


12  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

furnished  of  any  library  now  in  the  world, 
or  that  is  likely  (if  affection  does  not  much 
deceive  me)  ever  to  be  hereafter."  Such 
should  be  a  library  in  the  formation  of 
which  the  Kings  and  Princes  and  Ambas- 
sadors of  Europe  were  all  helpers.  Naude" 
in  another  place  called  it  "  the  work  of 
my  hands  and  the  miracle  of  my  life." 
Great  therefore  was  his  dejection  when 
the  library  was  dispersed.  Of  this  he 
said,  "  Beleeve,  if  you  please,  that  the 
ruine  of  this  Library  will  be  more  care- 
fully marked  in  all  Histories  and  Calendars, 
than  the  taking  and  sacking  of  Constan- 
tinople." Naud6's  letter  on  the  destruction 
of  the  Mazarin  Library  was  published  in 
London  in  1652,  and  the  pamphlet  was  re- 
printed in  the  Harleian  Miscellany.  "News 
from  France,  or  a  Description  of  the  Library 
of  Cardinall  Mazarini,  before  it  was  utterly 
ruined.  Sent  in  a  letter  from  G.  Naudasus, 
Keeper  of  the  Publick  Library.  London, 
Printed  for  Timothy  Garthwait,  1652."  4to. 
4  leaves. 

In    1650   was  published   at   London,    by 


Introduction.  1 3 

Samuel  Hartlib,  a  little  book  entitled,  "The 
Reformed  Librarie  Keeper,  with  a  Supplement 
to  the  Reformed  School,  as  Subordinate  to 
Colleges  in  Universities.  By  John  Durie. 
London,  William  Du-Gard,  1650."1 

John  Durie's  ideas  on  the  educational 
value  of  Libraries  and  the  high  function  of 
the  Librarian  are  similar  to  those  enunci- 
ated by  Carlyle,  when  he  wrote,  "  The  true 
University  of  these  days  is  a  Collection  of 
Books."  Of  this  point,  as  elaborated  in 
the  proposal  to  establish  Professorships  of 
Bibliography,  we  shall  have  something  more 
to  say  further  on. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  see  the  views 
of  great  men  exemplified  in  the  selection  of 
books  for  a  Library,  and  we  may  with  ad- 
vantage study  the  lists  prepared  by  George 
III.  and  Dr.  Johnson.  The  King  was  a 
~OTttector  of  the  first  rank,  as  is  evidenced 
by    his    fine    library,    now    in    the    British 

1  Dr.  Richard  Garnett  read  an  interesting  paper  on 
this  book  under  the  title  of  Librarianship  in  the 
Seventeenth  Century,  before  the  Library  Association. 
See  Library  Chronicle,  vol.  i.  p.  I  (1884). 


14  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Museum,  and  he  knew  his  books  well. 
When  he  was  about  to  visit  Weymouth,  he 
wrote  to  his  bookseller  for  the  following 
books  to  be  supplied  to  him  to  form  a  closet 
library  at  that  watering  place.  The  list  was 
written  from  memory,  and  it  was  printed  by 
Dibdin  in  his  Library  Companion,  from  the 
original  document  in  the  King's  own  hand- 
writing : 

The  Holy  Bible.  2  vols.  8vo.  Cambridge. 
New  Whole  Duty  of  Man.     8vo. 
The  Annual  Register.     25  vols.     8vo. 
The  History  of  England,  by  Rapin.     2 1 

vols.     8vo.     1757. 
Elemens    de    l'Histoire   de   France,   par 

Millot.  3  vols.  i2mo.  1770. 
Siecle  de  Louis  XIV.,  par  Voltaire.  1 2mo. 
Siecle  de  Louis  XV.,  par  Voltaire,  nmo. 
Commentaries  on  the  Laws  of  England, 
by  Sir  William  Blackstone.  4  vols. 
8vo.  Newest  Edition. 
The    Justice   of   the    Peace   and    Parish 

Officer,  by  R.  Burn.     4  vols.     8vo. 
An   Abridgement   of    Samuel    Johnson's 
Dictionary.     2  vols.     8vo. 


Introduction.  1 5 

Dictionnaire    Francois    et    Anglois,   .par 

M.  A.  Boyer.     8vo. 
The  Works  of  the  English  Poets,  by  Sam. 

Johnson.     68  vols.     1 2mo.' 
A  Collection  of  Poems,  by  Dodsley,  Pearch, 

and  Mendez.     1 1  vols.     nmo. 
A    Select    Collection   of    Poems,    by  J. 

Nichols.     8  vols.     i2mo. 
Shakespeare's  Plays,  by  Steevens. 
CEuvres  de  Destouches.     5  vols.     i2mo. 
The  Works  of  Sir  William   Temple.     4 

vols.     8vo. 
The  Works  of  Jonathan  Swift.     24  vols. 

i2mo. 
Dr.  Johnson  recommended  the  following 
list  of  books  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Astle,  of  Ash- 
bourne,   Derbyshire,   as    a    good    working 
collection :  — 

Rollin's  Ancient  History. 
Universal  History  (Ancient). 
Puffendorf's  Introduction  to  History. 
Vertot's  History  of  the  Knights  of  Malta. 
Vertot's  Revolutions  of  Portugal. 
Vertot's  Revolutions  of  Sweden. 
Carte's  History  of  England. 


1 6  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Present  State  of  England. 

Geographical  Grammar. 

Prideaux's  Connection. 

Nelson's  Feasts  and  Fasts. 

Duty  of  Man. 

Gentleman's  Religion. 

Clarendon's  History. 

Watts's  Improvement  of  the  Mind. 

Watts's  Logick. 

Nature  Displayed. 

Lowth's  English  Grammar. 

Blackwall  on  the  Classicks. 

Sherlock's  Sermons. 

Burnet's  Life  of  Hale. 

Dupin's  History  of  the  Church. 

Shuckford's  Connection. 

Law's  Serious  Call. 

Walton's  Complete  Angler. 

Sandys' s  Travels. 

Sprat's  History  of  the  Royal  Society. 

England's  Gazetteer. 

Goldsmith's  Roman  History. 

Some  Commentaries  on  the  Bible. 
It  is  curious  to  notice  in  both  these  lists  how 
many  of  the  books  are  now  quite  superseded. 


Introduction.  1 7 

In  another  place  Boswell  tells  us  what 
were  Johnson's  views  on  book  collecting. 
"When  I  mentioned  that  I  had  seen  in  the 
King's  Library  sixty-three  editions  of  my 
favourite  Thomas  d  Kempis,  amongst  which 
it  was  in  eight  languages,  Latin,  German, 
French,  Italian,  Spanish,  English,  Arabick, 
and  Armenian,  he  said  he  thought  it  un- 
necessary to  collect  many  editions  of  a  boot, 
which  were  all  the  same,  except  as  to  the 
paper  and  print ;  he  would  have  the  original, 
and  all  the  translations,  and  all  the  editions 
which  had  any  variations  in  the  text.  He 
approved  of  the  famous  collection  of  editions 
of  Horace  by  Douglas,  mentioned  by  Pope, 
who  is  said  to  have  had  a  closet  filled  with 
them  ;  and  he  said  every  man  should  try  to 
collect  one  book  in  that  manner,  and  present 
it  to  a  Publick  Library." 

Dr.  Johnson's  notion  as  to  the  collection 
of  editions  which  are  alike  except  in  the 
point  of  paper  is  scarcely  sound,  but  it  has 
been  held  by  a  "librarian  of  the  present  day, 
as  I  know  to  my  cost.  On  one  occasion 
I  was  anxious  to  see  several  copies  of  the 


1 8  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

first  folio  of  Shakespeare  (1623),  and  I  visited 
a  certain  library  which  possessed  more  than 
one.  The  librarian  expressed  the  opinion 
that  one  was  quite  sufficient  for  me  to  see, 
as  "they  were  all  alike." 

The  possessor  of  a  Private  Library  can  act 
as  a  censor  morum  and  keep  out  of  his  collec- 
tion any  books  which  offend  against  good 
morals,  but  this  role  is  one  which  is  unfit  for 
the  librarian  of  a  Public  Library.  He  may 
put  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  ordinary 
reader  seeing  such  books,  but  nevertheless 
they  should  be  in  his  library  for  the  use  of 
the  student.  A  most  amusing  instance  of 
misapplied  zeal  occurred  at  the  Advocates' 
Library  on  the  27th  June,  1754.  The  Minutes 
tell  the  tale  in  a  way  that  speaks  for  itself  and 
requires  no  comment.  "  Mr.  James  Burnet 
[afterwards  Lord  Monboddo],  and  Sir  David 
Dalrymple  [afterwards  Lord  Hailes],  Cura- 
tors of  the  Library,  having  gone  through  some 
accounts  of  books  lately  bought,  and  finding 
therein  the  three  following  French  books  : 
Les  Contes  de  La  Fontaine,  L1  Histove  Amour- 
euse  dcs  Gauks  and  L'Fcumoire,  they  ordain 


In  troduction .  1 9 

that  the  said  books  be  struck  out  of  the 
Catalogue  of  the  Library,  and  removed  from 
the  shelves,  as  indecent  books,  unworthy  of 
a  place  in  a  learned  Library." 

At  a  Conference  of  Representatives  of 
Institutions  in  Union  with  the  Society  of 
Arts  held  in  July,  1885,  the  question  of  the 
compilation  of  a  Catalogue  of  Books  fitted 
for  the  Libraries  of  Institutions  was  raised, 
and  shortly  afterwards  was  published,  under 
the  sanction  of  the  Council,  "A  Handbook  of 
Mechanics'  Institutions,  tvith  Priced  Catalogue 
of  Books  suitable  for  Libraries,  and  Period- 
icals for  Reading  Rooms,  by  W.  H.  J.  Traice." 
A  second  edition  of  this  book  was  published 
in  1863.  The  list,  however,  is  not  now  of 
much  use,  as  many  of  the  books  have  been 
superseded.  Theology  and  Politics  are  not 
included  in  the  classification. 

In  1 868  Mr.  Mullins  read  a  paper  before 
a  Meeting  of  the  Social  Science  Association 
at  Birmingham,  on  the  management  of  Free 
Libraries,  and,  in  its  reprinted  form,  this  has 
become  a  Handbook  on  the  subject:  "Free 
Libraries    and  News-rooms,   their  Formation 


20  Hozu  io  Form  a  Library. 

and  Management.  By  J.  D.  Mullins,  Chief 
Librarian,  Birmingham  Free  Libraries. 
Third  edition.  London,  Sotheran  and  Co., 
1879."  An  appendix  contains  copies  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Acts  and  Amendments,  and 
a  "  Short  List  of  Books  for  a  Free  Lending 
Library,  ranging  in  price  from  is.  to  ~js.  6d. 
per  volume." 

Mr.  Axon  read  a  paper  on  the  Formation 
of  Small  Libraries  intended  for  the  Co- 
operative Congress  in  1869,  which  was 
reprinted  as  a  pamphlet  of  eight  pages  : 
" Hints  on  the  Formation  of  Small  Libraries 
intended  for  Public  Use.  By  Wm.  E.  A.  Axon. 
London,  N.  Triibner  and  Co." 

Mr.  A.  R.  Spofford  has  given  a  valuable 
list  of  books  and  articles  in  periodicals, 
on  the  subject  of  Libraries  in  chapter  36 
(Library  Bibliography),  of  the  Report  on 
Public  Libraries  in  the  U.S.  (1876). 

The  volume  of  Transactions  and  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Conference  of  Librarians,  London, 
1877,  contains  two  papers  on  the  Selection 
of  Books,  one  by  Mr.  Robert  Harrison, 
Librarian  of  the  London  Library,  and  the 


Introduction.  2 1 

other  by  the  late  Mr.  James  M.  Anderson, 
Assistant  Librarian  of  the  University  of  St. 
Andrews.  Mr.  Harrison  gives  the  following 
as  the  three  guiding  principles  of  selection 
in  forming  a  library :  i.  Policy;  2.  Utility; 
3.  Special  or  Local  Appropriateness;  and 
he  deals  with  each  successively.  Mr. 
Anderson  writes  'that  "the  selection  of 
books  should  invariably  be  made  (1)  in 
relation  to  the  library  itself,  and  (2)  in 
relation  to  those  using  it." 

We  have  chiefly  to  do  with  the  formation 
of  libraries,  and  therefore  the  use  made  of 
them  when  they  are  formed  cannot  well  be 
enlarged  upon  here,  but  a  passing  note 
may  be  made  on  the  proposal  which 
has  been  much  discussed  of  late  years, 
viz.  that  for  Professorships  of  Books  and 
Reading.  The  United  States  Report  on 
Public  Libraries  contains  a  chapter  on  this 
subject  by  F.  B.  Perkins  and  William 
Matthews  (pp.  230-251),  and  Mr.  Axon  also 
contributed  a  paper  at  the  First  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  Library  Association.  The 
value  of  such  chairs,  if  well  filled,  is  self- 


22  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

evident,  for  it  takes  a  man  a  long  time 
(without  teaching)  to  learn  how  best  to 
use  books,  but  very  special  men  would  be 
required  as  Professors.  America  has  done 
much  to  show  what  the  duties  of  such  a 
Professor  should  be,  and  Harvard  College 
is  specially  fortunate  in  possessing  an  officer 
in  Mr.  Justin  Winsor  who  is  both  a  model 
librarian  and  a  practical  teacher  of  the  art 
of  how  best  to  use  the  books  under  his 
charge. 


CHAPTER    I. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries. 

S  long  as  books  have  existed  there 
have  been  book  collectors.  It  is 
easy  now  to  collect,  for  books  of  in- 
terest are  to  be  found  on  all  sides  ;  but  in  old 
times  this  was  not  so,  and  we  must  therefore 
admire  the  more  those  men  who  formed  their 
libraries  under  the  greatest  difficulties.  In 
a  book  devoted  to  the  formation  of  libraries 
it  seems  but  fair  to  devote  some  space  to 
doing  honour  to  those  who  have  formed 
libraries,  and  perhaps  some  practical  lessons 
may  be  learned  from  a  few  historical  facts. 

Englishmen  may  well  be  proud  of  Richard 
Aungerville  de  Bury,  a  man  occupying  a 
busy  and  exalted  station,  who  not  only 
collected    books    with   ardour  united   with 


24  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

judgment,  but  has  left  for  the  benefit  of 
later  ages  a  manual  which  specially  endears 
his  memory  to  all  book  lovers. 

He  collected  books,  and  often  took  them 
in  place  of  corn  for  tithes  and  dues,  but  he 
also  produced  books,  for  he  kept  copyists 
in  his  house.  Many  of  these  books  were 
carefully  preserved  in  his  palace  at  Durham, 
but  it  is  also  pleasant  to  think  of  some  of 
them  being' carefully  preserved  in  the  noble 
mansion  belonging  to  his  see  which  stood 
by  the  side  of  the  Thames,  and  on  the  site 
of  the  present  Adelphi. 

Petrarch  was  a  book-loving  poet,  and  he 
is  said  to  have  met  the  book-loving  eccle- 
siastic Richard  de  Bury  at  Rome.  He  gave 
his  library  to  the  Church  of  St.  Mark  at 
Venice  in  1362;  but  the  guardians  allowed 
the  books  to  decay,  and  few  were  rescued. 
Boccaccio  bequeathed  his  library  to  the 
Augustinians  at  Florence,  but  one  cannot 
imagine  the  books  of  the  accomplished 
author  of  the  Decameron  as  very  well  suited 
for  the  needs  of  a  religious  society,  and  it 
was   probably  weeded    before   Boccaccio's 


Hoiv  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    25 

death.  The  remains  of  the  library  are  still 
shown  to  visitors  in  the  Laurentian  Library, 
the  famous  building  due  to  the  genius  of 
Michael  Angelo. 

Cardinal  John  Bessarion  gave  his  fine 
collection  (which  included  about  600  Greek 
MSS.)  to  St.  Mark's  in  1468,  and  in  the 
letter  to  the  Doge  which  accompanied  his 
gift,'  he  tells  some  interesting  particulars 
of  his  early  life  as  a  collector.  He  writes, 
"  From  my  youth  I  have  bestowed  my 
pains  and  exertion  in  the  collection  of 
books  on  various  sciences.  In  former  days 
I  copied  many  with  my  own  hands,  and  I 
have  employed  on  the  purchase  of  others 
such  small  means  as  a  frugal  and  thrifty 
life  permitted  me  to  devote  to  the  purpose." 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Hunter  printed  in  1831 
a  valuable  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the 
Priory  of  Bretton  in  Yorkshire,  and  added 
to  it  some  notices  of  the  Libraries  belong- 
ing to  other  Religious  Houses,  in  which  he 
gives  us  a  good  idea  of  the  contents  of 
these  libraries.  He  writes,  "On  comparing 
the  Bretton  Catalogue  with  that  of  other 


26  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

religious  communities,  we  find  the  libraries 

of  the  English  monasteries  composed    of 

very  similar  materials.    They  consisted  of — 

i.  The   Scriptures;    and  these  always  in 

an  English  or  the  Latin  version.     A 

Greek  or  Hebrew  Manuscript  of  the 

Scriptures  is  not  found  in  Leland's 

notes,   or,   I  believe,  in  any  of  the 

catalogues.    In  Wetstein's  Catalogue 

of  MSS.  of  the  New  Testament,  only 

one    (Codex  59)    is  traced  into  the 

hands  of  an  English  community  of 

religious. 

2.  The  Commentators. 

3.  The  Fathers. 

4.  Services  and  Rituals  of  the  Church, 

5.  Writers   in   the    Theological    Contro- 

versies of  the  Middle  Ages. 

6.  Moral  and  Devotional  Writings. 

7.  Canon  Law. 

8.  The  Schoolmen. 

9.  Grammatical  Writers. 

10.  Writers  in  Mathematics  and  Physics. 

11.  Medical  Writers. 

12.  Collections  of  Epistles. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    27 

13.  The  Middle  Age  Poets  and  Romance- 

Writers. 

14.  The  Latin  Classics. 

15.  The  Chronicles. 

16.  The   Historical  Writings  of   doubtful 

authority,  commonly  called  Legends. 
Most  of  the  manuscripts  which  composed 
the  monastic  libraries  were  destroyed  at 
the  Reformation." 

Humphry  Plantagenet  Duke  of  Gloucester, 
whose  fame  has  been  so  lasting  as  the  'good 
Duke  Humphry,'  was  also  a  book-collector 
of  renown  ;  but  most  of  the  old  libraries 
we  read  about  have  left  but  little  record  of 
their  existence :  thus  the  Common  Library 
at  Guildhall,  founded  by  Dick  Whittington 
in  1420,  and  added  to  by  John  Carpenter, 
the  Town  Clerk  of  London,  has  been  en- 
tirely destroyed,  the  books  having,  in  the 
first  instance,  been  carried  away  by  Edward 
Seymour  Duke  of  Somerset. 

Although,  as  we  have  seen  from  Mr. 
Hunter's  remarks,  there  was  a  consider- 
able amount  of  variety  in  the  subjects 
of  these   manuscript  collections,  we   must 


28  How  to  Form  a  Libi'ary. 

still  bear  in  mind  that  in  a  large  number 
of  instances  the  contents  of  the  libraries 
consisted  of  little  more  than  Breviaries  and 
Service  Books.  It  has  been  pointed  out 
that  this  fact  is  illustrated  by  the  union  of 
the  offices  of  Precentor  and  Armarius  in 
one  person,  who  had  charge  of  the  Library 
(Armarium)  and  its  great  feeder,  the  Writing- 
room  (Scriptorium),  as  well  as  the  duty  of 
leading  the  singing  in  the  church.  Many 
lists  of  old  libraries  have  been  preserved, 
and  these  have  been  printed  in  various 
bibliographical  works,  thus  giving  us  a 
valuable  insight  into  the  reading  of  our 
forefathers. 

When  we  come  to  consider  libraries  "of 
printed  books  in  place  of  manuscripts,  we 
naturally  find  a  greater  variety  of  subjects 
collected  by  the  famous  men  who  have 
formed  collections.  Montaigne,  the  friend 
of  all  literary  men,  could  not  have  been 
the  man  we  know  him  to  have  been  if  he 
had  not  lived  among  his  books.  Like  many 
a  later  book-lover,  he  decorated  his  library 
with  mottoes,  and  burnt-in  his  inscriptions 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     29 

letter  by  letter  with  his  own  hands.  Grotius 
made  his  love  of  books  do  him  a  special 
service,  for  he  escaped  from  prison  in  a 
box  which  went  backwards  and  forwards 
with  an  exchange  of  books  for  his  enter- 
tainment and  instruction. 

Grolier  and  De  Thou  stand  so  pre-eminent 
among  book  collectors,  .and  from  the  beauty 
of  the  copies  they  possessed  the  relics  of 
their  libraries  are  so  frequently  seen,  that 
it  seems  merely  necessary  here  to  mention 
their  names.  But  as  Frenchmen  may  well 
boast  of  these  men,  so  Englishmen  can  take 
pride  in  the  possession  of  the  living  memory 
of  Archbishop  Parker,  who  enriched  Cam- 
bridge, and  of  Sir  Thomas  Bodley,  who 
made  the  Library  at  Oxford  one  of  the 
chief  glories  of  our  land. 

Old  Lists  of  Books  are  always  of  interest 
to  us  as  telling  what  our  forefathers  cared 
to  have  about  them,  but  it  is  seldom  that 
a  list  is  so  tantalising  as  one  described 
by  Mr.  Edward  Edwards  in  his  Libraries 
and  Founders  of  Libraries.  Anne  of  Den- 
mark  presented    her    son    Charles   with   a 


30  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

splendid  series  of  volumes,  bound  in  crim- 
son and  purple  velvet.  Abraham  van  der 
Dort,  who  was  keeper  of  Charles's  cabinet, 
made  an  inventory  of  this  cabinet ;  and 
having  no  notion  of  how  to  make  a  cata- 
logue of  books,  he  has  managed  to  leave 
out  all  the  information  we  wish  for.  The 
inventory  is  among  the  Harleian  MSS. 
(4718),  and  the  following  are  specimens 
of  the  entries  : — 

"  Im'pris    19  books   in   Crimson    velvet, 

whereof   18   are  bound  4to.   and   ye 

19th    in    folio,    adorn'd   with    some 

silver   guilt  plate,  and  ye  2  claspes 

wanting.     Given  to  ye  King  by  Queen 

Ann  of  famous  memory. 

Item,  more  15  books,  13  thereof  being  in 

long  4-to.  and  ye  2  lesser  cover'd  over 

also  with  purple  velvet.     Given  also 

to  ye  King  by  ye  said  Queen  Ann." 

Most  of  the  famous  private  libraries  of 

days  gone  by  have  left  little  record  of  their 

existence,   but   Evelyn's    collection   is    still 

carefully  preserved  at  Wotton,  the  house  of 

the  Diarist's  later  years,  and  Pepys's  books 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    3 1 

continue  at  Cambridge  in  the  cases  he  had 
made  for  them,  and  in  the  order  he  fixed 
for  them.  In  a  long  letter  to  Pepys,  dated 
from  Sayes  Court,  12th  August,  1689,  Evelyn 
gives  an  account  of  such  private  libraries 
as  he  knew  of  in  England,  and  in  London 
more  particularly.  He  first  mentions  Lord 
Chancellor  Clarendon,  to  whom  he  dedi- 
cated his  translation  of  Naude's  Advice, 
and  who  "  furnished  a  very  ample  library." 
Evelyn  observes  that  England  was  pecu- 
liarly defective  in  good  libraries :  "  Paris 
alone,  I  am  persuaded,  being  able  to  show 
more  than  all  the  three  nations  of  Great 
Britain."  He  describes  Dr.  Stillingfieet's, 
at  Twickenham,  as  the  very  best  library.1 
He  did  not  think  much  either  of  the  Earl 
of  Bristol's  or  of  Sir  Kenelm  Digby's  books, 
but  he  says  Lord  Maitland's  "was  certainly 
the  noblest,  most  substantial  and  accom- 
plished library  that  ever  passed  under  the 
spear." 

1  Narcissus  Marsh,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  is 
said  to  have  given  ,£2500  for  Bishop  Stiilingfleet's 
Library. 


32  Hozv  to  Form  a  Library. 

In  a  useful  little  volume  published  at 
London  in  1739,  and  entitled,  A  Critical 
and  Historical  Account  of  all  the  Celebrated 
Libraries  in  Foreign  Countries,  as  well  ancient 
as  modern,  which  is  stated  to  be  written  by 
"  a  Gentleman  of  the  Temple,"  are  some 
"  General  Reflections  upon  the  Choice 
of  Books  and  the  Method  of  furnishing 
Libraries  and  Cabinets."  As  these  reflec- 
tions are  interesting  in  themselves,  and 
curious  as  the  views  of  a  writer  of  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  on  this 
important  subject,  I  will  transfer  them 
bodily  to  these  pages. 

"  Nothing  can  be  more  laudable  than 
forming  Libraries,  when  the  founders  have, 
no  other  view  than  to  improve  themselves 
and  men  of  letters  :  but  it  will  be  neces- 
sary, in  the  first  place,  to  give  some 
directions,  which  will  be  of  great  im- 
portance towards  effecting  the  design,  as 
well  with  regard  to  the  choice  of  books 
as  the  manner  of  placing  to  advantage :  nor 
is  it  sufficient  in  this  case,  to  be  learned, 
since    he    who    would   have    a    collection 


Hoiv  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    33 

worthy  of  the  name  of  a  library  must  of 
all  things  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
books,  that  he  may  distinguish  such  as 
are  valuable  from  the  trifling.  He  must 
likewise  understand  the  price  of  Books, 
otherwise  he  may  purchase  some  at  too 
high  a  rate,  and  undervalue  others :  all 
which  requires  no  small  judgment  and 
experience. 

"  Let  us  suppose,  then,  the  founder  pos- 
sessed of  all  those  qualifications,  three  things 
fall  next  under  consideration. 

"  First,  the  number  of  books  ;  secondly, 
their  quality ;  and,  lastly,  the  order  in  which 
they  ought  to  be  ranged. 
.  "  As  to  the  quantity,  regard  must  be  had, 
as  well  to  places  as  to  persons ;  for  should 
a  man  of  moderate  fortune  propose  to  have 
a  Library  for  his  own  use  only,  it  would  be 
imprudent  in  him  to  embarrass  his  affairs 
in  order  to  effect  it.  Under  such  circum- 
stances he  must  rather  consider  the  useful- 
ness than  the  number  of  books,  for  which 
we  have  the  authority  of  Seneca,  who  tells 
us    that    a    multitude    of    books    is    more 


34  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

burthensome  than  instructive  to  the  under- 
standing. 

"But  if  a  private  person  has  riches  enough 
for  founding  a  Library,  as  well  for  his  own 
use  as  for  the  public,  he  ought  to  furnish 
it  with  the  most  useful  volumes  in  all  arts 
and  sciences,  and  procure  such  as  are 
scarcest  and  most  valuable,  from  all  parts, 
that  the  learned,  of  whom  there  are  many 
classes,  may  instruct  themselves  in  what 
may  be  useful  to  them,  and  may  gratify 
their  enquiries.  But  as  the  condition  and 
abilities  of  such  as  would  form  Libraries 
are  to  be  distinguished,  so  regard  must 
likewise  be  had  to  places,  for  it  is  very 
difficult  to  procure,  or  collect  books  'in 
some  countries,  without  incredible  expense; 
a  design  of  that  kind  would  be  impractic- 
able in  America,  Africa,  and  some  parts  of 
Asia ;  so  that  nothing  can  be  determined 
as  to  the  number  of  books,  that  depending 
entirely  upon  a  variety  of  circumstances, 
and  the  means  of  procuring  them,  as  has 
been  observ'd  before. 

"As  to  the  second  topic,  special  care  must 


Hoiv  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     35 

be  taken  in  the  choice  of  books,  for  upon 
that  alone  depends  the  value  of  a  Library. 
We  must  not  form  a  judgment  of  books 
either  by  their  bulk  or  numbers,  but  by  their 
intrinsic  merit  and  usefulness.  Alexander 
Severus's  Library  consisted  of  no  more  than 
four  volumes,  that  is  the  works  of  Plato, 
Cicero,  Virgil,  and  Horace.  Melanchthon 
seems  to  have  imitated  that  Prince,  for  his 
collection  amounted  to  four  books  only, 
Plato,  Pliny,  Plutarch,  and  Ptolemy. 

"There  is  another  necessary  lesson  for 
those  who  form  designs  of  making  libraries, 
that  is,  that  they  must  disengage  themselves 
from  all  prejudices  with  regard  either  to 
ancient  or  modern  books,  for  such  a  wrong 
step  often  precipitates  the  judgment,  with- 
out scrutiny  or  examination,  as  if  truth  and 
knowledge  were  confined  to  any  particular 
times  or  places.  The  ancients  and  moderns 
should  be  placed  in  collections,  indifferently, 
provided  they  have  those  .  characters  we 
hinted  before. 

"  Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  third  head, 
the  manner  of  placing  books  in  such  order, 


36  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

as  that  they  may  be  resorted  to  upon  any 
emergency,  without  difficulty,  otherwise  they 
can  produce  but  little  advantage  either  to 
the  owners  or  others. 

"The  natural  method  of  placing  books 
and  manuscripts  is  to  range  them  in  separate 
classes  or  apartments,  according  to  the 
science,  art,  or  subject,  of  which  they  treat. 

"  Here  it  will  be  necessary  to  observe, 
that  as  several  authors  have  treated  of  various 
subjects,  it  may  be  difficult  to  place  them 
under  any  particular  class ;  Plutarch,  for 
instance,  who  was  an  historian,  a  political 
writer,  and  a  philosopher.  The  most  ad- 
visable method  then  is  to  range  them  under 
the  head  of  Miscellaneous  Authors,  with 
proper  references  to  each  subject,  but  this 
will  be  more  intelligible  by  an  example. 

"  Suppose,  then,  we  would  know  the  names 
of  the  celebrated  Historians  of  the  ancients; 
nothing  more  is  necessary  than  to  inspect 
the  class  under  which  the  historians  are 
placed,  and  so  of  other  Faculties.  By  this 
management,  one  set  of  miscellaneous 
authors    will    be    sufficient,    and    may    be 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     37 

resorted  to  with  as  much  ease  and  expedition 
as  those  who  have  confined  themselves  to 
one  subject.  In  choice  of  books  regard 
must  be  had  to  the  edition,  character,  paper 
and  binding.  As  to  the  price,  it  is  difficult 
to  give  any  positive  directions  ;  that  of 
ordinary  works  is  easily  known,  but  as  to 
such  as  are  very  scarce  and  curious,  we  can 
only  observe  that  their  price  is  as  uncertain 
as  that  of  medals  and  other  monuments  of 
antiquity,  and  often  depends  more  on  the 
caprice  of  the  buyer  than  the  intrinsic  merit 
of  the  work,  some  piquing  themselves  upon 
the  possession  of  things  from  no  other  con- 
sideration than  their  exorbitant  price." 

Dr.  Byrom's  quaint  library  is  still  pre- 
served at  Manchester  in  its  entirety.  Bishop 
Moore's  fine  collection  finds  a  resting  place 
in  the  University  Library  at  Cambridge,  and 
the  relics  of  the  Library  of  Harley,  Earl  of 
Oxford,  a  mine  of  manuscript  treasure,  still 
remain  one  of  the  chief  glories  of  tne  British 
Museum.  How  much  cause  for  regret  is 
there  that  the  library  itself,  which  Osborne 
bought  and  Johnson  described,  did  not  also 


38  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

find  a  settled  home,  instead  of  being  dis- 
persed over  the  land. 

It  is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  the  rich  and 
busy  man  to  spend  his  time  and  riches  in 
the  cpllection  of  a  fine  library,  but  still 
greater  honour  is  due  to  the  poor  man  who 
does  not  allow  himself  to  be  pulled  down 
by  his  sordid  surroundings.  The  once- 
famous  small-coalman,  Thomas  Britton, 
furnishes  a  most  remarkable  instance  of 
true  greatness  in  a  humble  station,  and 
one,  moreover,  which  was  fully  recognized 
in  his  own  day.  He  lived  next  door  to  St. 
John's  Gate,  Clerkenwell,  and  although  he 
gained  his  living  by  selling  coals  from  door 
to  door,  many  persons  of  the  highest  station 
were  in  the  habit  of  attending  the  musical 
meetings  held  at  his  house.  He  was  an 
excellent  chemist  as  well  as  a  good  musician, 
and  Thomas  Hearne  tells  us  that  he  left 
behind  him  "a  valuable  collection  of  musick 
mostly  pricked  by  himself,  which  was  sold 
upon  his  death  for  near  an  hundred  pounds," 
"  a  considerable  collection  of  musical  instru- 
ments which  was  sold  for  fourscore  pounds," 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    39 

"  not  to  mention  the  excellent  collection  of 
printed  books  that  he  also  left  behind  him, 
both  of  chemistry  and  musick.  Besides 
these  books  that  he  left,  he  had  some  years 
before  his  death  (1714)  sold  by  auction  a 
noble  collection  of  books,  most  of  them 
in  the  Rosicrucian  faculty  (of  which  he 
was  a  -great  admirer),  whereof  there  is  a 
printed  catalogue  extant,  as  there  is  of 
those  that  were  sold  after  his  death,  which 
catalogue  I  have  by  me  (by  the  gift  of  my 
very  good  friend  Mr.  Bagford),  and  have 
often  looked  over  with  no  small  surprize 
and  wonder,  and  particularly  for  the  great 
number  of  MSS.  in  the  before-mentioned 
faculties  that  are  specified  in  it."1 

Dr.  Johnson,  although  a  great  reader,  was 
not  a  collector  of  books.  He  was  forced 
to  possess  many  volumes  while  he  was 
compiling  his  Dictionary,  but  when  that 
great  labour  was  completed,  he  no  longer 
felt  the  want  of  them.  Goldsmith,  on  the 
other  hand,  died  possessed  of  a  considerable 

1  ReliquicB  Hearniance,  by  Bliss,  2nd  edition,  1869, 
vol.  ii.  p.  14. 


40  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

number  of  books  which  he  required, 
or  had  at  some  time  required,  for  his 
studies.  "The  Select  Collection  of  Scarce, 
Curious,  and  Valuable  Books,  in  English, 
Latin,  Greek,  French,  Italian,  and  other 
Languages,  late  the  Library  of  Dr.  Gold- 
smith, deceased,"  was  sold  on  Tuesday,  the 
1 2th  of  July,  1774,  and  the  Catalogue  will 
be  found  in  the  Appendix  to  Forster's  Life. 
There  were  30  lots  in  folio,  26  in  quarto,  and 
106  in  octavo  and  smaller  sizes.  Among 
the  books  of  interest  in  this  list  are 
Chaucer's  Works,  1602  ;  Davenant's  Works, 
1673  ;  Camoens,  by  Fanshawe,  1655  ; 
Cowley's  Works,  1674  ;  Shelton's  Don 
Quixote ;  Raleigh's  History  of  the  World, 
1614;  Bulwer's  Artificial  Changeling,  1653; 
Verstegan's  Antiquities,  1634  ;  Hartlib's 
Legacie,  1651  ;  Sir  K.  Digby  on  the 
Nature  of  Bodies,  1645  ;  Warton's  History 
of  English  Poetry,  1774;  Encyclopedic,  25 
vols.,  1770  ;  Fielding's  Works,  12  vols., 
1766;  Bysshe's  Art  of  Poetry;  Hawkins's 
Origin  of  the  English  Drama,  3  vols.,  1773; 
Percy's   Reliques,    3    vols.,    Dublin,    1766  ; 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.    41 

Sir  William  Temple's  Works ;  and  De  Bure, 
Bibliographic  Instructive. 

A  catalogue  such  as  this,  made  within 
a  few  weeks  of  the  death  of  the  owner,  can- 
not but  have  great  interest  for  us.  The 
library  could  not  have  been  a  very  choice 
one,  for  there  is  little  notice  «of  bindings 
and  much  mention  of  odd  volumes.  It  was 
evidently  a  working  collection,  containing 
the  works  of  the  poets  Goldsmith  loved,  and 
of  the  naturalists  from  whom  he  stole  his 
knowledge. 

Gibbon  was  a  true  collector,  who  loved 
his  books,  and  he  must  have  needed  them 
greatly,  working  as  he  did  at  Lausanne 
away  from  public  libraries.  After  his  death 
the  library  was  purchased  by  *  Vathek'  Beck- 
ford,  but  he  kept  it  buried,  and  it  was  of 
no  use  to  any  one.  Eventually  it  was  sold 
by  auction,  a  portion  being  bought  for  the 
Canton,  and  another  portion  going  to 
America.  There  was  little  in  the  man 
Gibbon  to  be  enthusiastic  about,  but  it  is 
impossible  for  any  true  book  lover  not  to 
delight  in  the  thoroughness  of  the  author 


42  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

of  one  of  the  noblest  books  ever  written. 
The  fine  old  house  where  the  Decline  and 
Fall  was  written  and  the  noble  library  was 
stored  still  stands,  and  the  traveller  may 
stroll  in  the  garden  so  beautifully  described 
by  Gibbon  when  he  walked  to  the  historical 
berceau  and  felt  that  his  herculean  labour  was 
completed.  His  heart  must  be  preternaturally 
dull  which  does  not  beat  quicker  as  he  walks 
on  that  ground.  The  thought  of  a  visit  some 
years  ago  forms  one  of  the  most  vivid  of  the 
author's  pleasures  of  memory. 

Charles  Eurney,  the  Greek  scholar,  is 
said  to  have  expended  nearly  ^"25,000 
on  his  library,  which  consisted  of  more 
than  13,000  printed  volumes  and  a  fine 
collection  of  MSS.  The  library  was  pur- 
chased for  the  British  Museum  for  the  sum 
of  /^3,5oo. 

Charles  Burney  probably  inherited  his 
love  of  collecting  from  his  father,  for  Dr. 
Burney  possessed  some  twenty  thousand 
volumes.  These  were  rather  an  in- 
cumbrance to  the  Doctor,  and  when  he 
moved    to    Chelsea    Hospital,    he   was    in 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     43 

some  difficulty  respecting  them.  Mrs. 
Chapone,  when  she  heard  of  these  troubles, 
proved  herself  no  bibliophile,  for  she  ex- 
claimed, "  Twenty  thousand  volumes  !  bless 
me !  why,  how  can  he  so  encumber  him- 
self? Why  does  he  not  burn  half?  for 
how  much  must  be  to  spare  that  never  can 
be  worth  his  looking  at  from  such  a  store  ! 
and  can  he  want  to  keep  them  all  ?" 

The  love  of  books  will  often  form  a  tie 
of  connection  between  very  divergent  cha- 
racters, and  in  dealing  with  men  who  have 
formed  libraries  we  can  bring  together  the 
names  of  those  who  had  but  little  sympathy 
with  each  other  during  life. 

George  III.  was  a  true  book  collector, 
and  the  magnificent  library  now  preserved 
in  the  British  Museum  owes  its  origin  to 
his  own  judgment  and  enthusiastic  love  for 
the  pursuit.  Louis  XVI.  cared  but  little 
for  books  until  his  troubles  came  thick 
upon  him,  and  then  he  sought  solace  from 
their  pages.  During  that  life  in  the  Temple 
we  all  know  so  well  from  the  sad  reading 
of  its  incidents,  books  were  not  denied  to 


44  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

the  persecuted  royal  family.  There  was 
a  small  library  in  the  "  little  tower,"  and 
the  king  drew  up  a  list  of  books  to  be 
supplied  to  him  from  the  library  at  the 
Tuileries.  The  list  included  the  works  of 
Virgil,  Horace,  Ovid,  and  Terence ;  of 
Tacitus,  Livy,  Caesar,  Marcus  Aurelius, 
Eutropius,  Cornelius  Nepos,  Florus,  Justin, 
Quintus  Curtius,  Sallust,  Suetonius  and 
Velleius  Paterculus  ;  the  Vies  des  Saints, 
the  Fables  de  la  Fontaine,  Ttlemaque,  and 
Rollin's  Traite  des  Etudes} 

The  more  we  know  of  Napoleon,  and 
anecdotes  of  him  are  continually  being 
published  in  the  ever-lengthening  series 
of  French  memoirs,  the  less  heroic  appears 
his  figure,  but  he  could  not  have  been 
entirely  bad,  for  he  truly  loved  books.  He 
began  life  as  an  author,  and  would  always 
have  books  about  him.  He  complained 
if  the  printing  was  bad  or  the  binding  poor, 
and  said,  "  I  will  have  fine  editions  and 
handsome  binding.     I  am  rich  enough  for 

1  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders  of  Libraries, 
p.  115. 


Hoiv  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     45 

that."1  Thus  spoke  the  true  bibliophile. 
Mr.  Edwards  has  collected  much  interest- 
ing information  respecting  Napoleon  and 
his  libraries,  and  of  his  labours  I  here 
freely  avail  myself.  Bourrienne  affirms  that 
the  authors  who  chiefly  attracted  Napoleon 
in  his  school  days  were  Polybius,  Plutarch, 
and  Arrian.  "  Shortly  before  he  left  France 
for  Egypt,  Napoleon  drew  up,  with  his  own 
hand,  the  scheme  of  a  travelling  library, 
the  charge  of  collecting  which  was  given 
to  John  Baptist  Say,  the  Economist.  It 
comprised  about  three  hundred  and  twenty 
volumes,  more  than  half  of  which  are 
historical,  and  nearly  all,  as  it  seems,  in 
French.  The  ancient  historians  comprised 
in  the  list  are  Thucydides,  Plutarch,  Poly- 
bius, Arrian,  Tacitus,  Livy,  and  Justin. 
The  poets  are  Homer,  Virgil,  Tasso,  Ariosto, 
the  Telemaque  of  F£nelon,  the  Henriade  of 
Voltaire,  with  Ossian  and  La  Fontaine. 
Among  the  works  of  prose  fiction  are  the 
English  novelists  in  forty  volumes,  of  course 

1  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders,  p.  136. 


46  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

in  translations,  and  the  indispensable  Sorrows 
of  Werter,  which,  as  he  himself  told  Goethe, 
Napoleon  had  read  through  seven  times 
prior  to  October,  1808.  In  this  list  the 
Bible,  together  with  the  Koran  and  the 
Vtdas,  are  whimsically,  but  significantly, 
entered  under  the  heading  Politics  and 
Ethics  (Politique  et  Morale).1 

Napoleon  was  not,  however,  satisfied  with 
the  camp  libraries  which  were  provided  for 
him ;  the  good  editions  were  too  bulky  and 
the  small  editions  too  mean:  so  he  arranged 
the  plan  of  a  library  to  be  expressly  printed 
for  him  in  a  thousand  duodecimo  volumes 
without  margins,  bound  in  thin  covers  and 
with  loose  backs.  "In  this  new  plan 
'Religion'  took  its  place  as  the  first  class. 
The  Bible  was  to  be  there  in  its  best  trans- 
lation, with  a  selection  of  the  most  im- 
portant works  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church, 
and  a  series  of  the  best  dissertations  on 
those  leading  religious  sects — their  doctrines 
and  their  history — which   have   powerfully 

1  Correspondance  de  Napoleon  Ier,  IV.  pp.  37,  38, 
quoted  by  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders,  p.  130. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     47 

influenced  the  world.  This  section  was 
limited  to  forty  volumes.  The  Koran  was 
to  be  included,  together  with  a  good  book 
or  two  on  mythology.  One  hundred  and 
forty  volumes  were  allotted  to  poetry.  The 
epics  were  to  embrace  Homer,  Lucan,  Tasso, 
Telemachus,  and  the  Henriade.  In  the 
dramatic  portion  Corneille  and  Racine 
were  of  course  to  be  included,  but  of 
Corneille,  said  Napoleon,  you  shall  print 
for  me  '  only  what  is  vital '  (ce  qui  est  rest6), 
and  from  Racine  you  shall  omit  '  Les  Frens 
ennemis,  the  Alexandre,  and  Les  Plaideurs. 
Of  Cr6billon,  he  would  have  only  Rhadamiste 
and  A  tree  et  Thyeste.  Voltaire  was  to  be  sub- 
ject to  the  same  limitation  as  Corneille.'"1 
In  prose  fiction  Napoleon  specifies  the 
Nouvelle  Heloise  and  Rousseau's  Confessions, 
the  masterpieces  of  Fielding,  Richardson 
and  Le  Sage,  and  Voltaire's  tales.  Soon 
after  this  Napoleon  proposed  a  much  larger 
scheme  for  a  camp  library,  in  which  history 
alone  would  occupy  three  thousand  volumes. 

1  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders,  p.  133. 


48  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

History  was  to  be  divided  into  these  sec- 
tions— I.  Chronology  and  Universal  History. 
II.  Ancient  History  {a.  by  ancient  writers, 
b.  by  modern  writers).  III.  History  of  the 
Lower  Empire  (in  like  subdivisions).  IV. 
History,  both  general  and  particular.  V. 
The  Modern  History  of  the  different  States 
of  Europe.  The  celebrated  bibliographer 
Barbier  drew  up,  according  to  the  Emperor's 
orders,  a  detailed  catalogue  of  the  works 
which  should  form  such  a  library.  "  He 
calculated  that  by  employing  a  hundred 
and  twenty  compositors  and  twenty-five 
editors,  the  three  thousand  volumes  could 
be  produced,  in  satisfactory  shape,  and  with- 
in six  years,  at  a  total  cost  of  £  163,200*, 
supposing  fifty  copies  of  each  book  to  be 
printed."1  The  printing  was  begun,  but 
little  was  actually  done,  and  in  six  years 
Napoleon  was  in  St.  Helena. 

In  his  last  island  home  Napoleon  had 
a  library,  and  he  read  largely,  often  aloud, 
with  good  effect.     It  is  an  interesting  fact 

1  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders,  p.  135. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     49 

that  among  Napoleon's  papers  were  found 
some  notes  on  Geography  written  when  a 
boy,  and  these  close  with  the  words — 
"  Sainte-Heleae — petite  He."  1 

In  recapitulating  here  the  names  of  a 
few  of  the  famous  men  who  have  formed 
libraries  it  will  be  necessary  to  divide  them 
into  two  classes,  1,  those  whose  fame  arises 
from  their  habit  of  collecting,  and  2,  those 
authors  in  whose  lives  we  are  so  much 
interested  that  the  names  of  the  books  they 
possessed  are  welcomed  by  us  as  indications 
of  their  characters.  What  can  be  said  of 
the  libraries  of  the  Duke  of  Roxburghe,  Earl 
Spencer,  Thomas  Grenville,  and  Richard 
Heber  that  has  not  been  said  often  before  ? 
Two  of  these  have  been  dispersed  over  the 
world,  and  two  remain,  one  the  glory  of  a 
noble  family,  and  the  other  of  the  nation, 
or  perhaps  it  would  be  more  proper  to  say 
both  are  the  glory  of  the  nation,  for  every 
Englishman  must  be  proud  that  the  Spencer 
Library  still  remains  intact. 

1  Edwards,  Libraries  and  Founders,  p.  142. 

4 


5<D  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Heber  left  behind  him  over  100,000 
volumes,  in  eight  houses,  four  in  England 
and  four  on  the  Continent,  and  no  record 
remains  of  this  immense  library  but  the 
volumes  of  the  sale  catalogues.  Such  whole- 
sale collection  appears  to  be  allied  to  mad- 
ness, but  Heber  was  no  selfish  collector, 
and  his  practice  was  as  liberal  as  Grolier's 
motto.  His  name  is  enshrined  in  lasting 
verse  by  Scott : — 

"  Thy  volumes,  open  as  thy  heart, 
Delight,  amusement,  science,  art, 
To  every  ear  and  eye  impart  ; 
Yet  who  of  all  that  thus  employ  them, 
Can  like  the  owner's  self  enjoy  them  ? — 
But  hark  !  I  hear  the  distant  drum  : 
The  day  of  Flodden  Field  is  come — 
Adieu,  dear  Heber  !  life  and  health, 
And  store  of  literary  wealth." 
— Marmion,  Introduction  to  the  Sixth  Canto. 

The  Duke  of  Sussex  was  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  his  father,  George  III.,  in  the 
ranks  of  book-collectors,  and  his  library 
is  kept  in  memory  by  Pettigrew's  fine 
catalogue. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     5 1 

Douce  and  M alone  the  critics,  and  Gough 
the  antiquary,  left  their  libraries  to  the 
Bodleian,  and  thus  many  valuable  books 
are  available  to  students  in  that  much- 
loved  resort  of  his  at  Oxford.  Anthony 
Morris  Storer,  who  is  said  to  have  excelled 
in  everything  he  set  his  heart  on  and  hand 
to,  collected  a  beautiful  library,  which  he 
bequeathed  to  Eton  College,  where  it  still 
remains,  a  joy  to  look  at  from  the  elegance 
of  the  bindings.  His  friend  Lord  Carlisle 
wrote  of  him — 

"Whether  I  Storer  sing  in  hours  of  joy, 
When  every  look  bespeaks  the  inward  boy  ; 
Or  when  no  more  mirth  wantons  in  his  breast, 
And  all  the  man  in  him  appears  confest ; 
In  mirth,  in  sadness,  sing  him  how  I  will, 
Sense  and  good  nature  must  attend  him  still." 

Jacob  Bryant  the  antiquary  left  his 
library  to  King's  College,  Cambridge.  At 
one  time  he  intended  to  have  followed 
Storer's  example,  and  have  left  it  to  Eton 
College,  but  the  Provost  offended  him,  and 
he  changed  the  object  of  his  bequest.  It 
is   said  that  when   he   was  discussing  the 


52  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

matter,  the  Provost  asked  whether  he  would 
not  arrange  for  the  payment  of  the  carriage 
of  the  books  from  his  house  to  Eton.  He 
thought  this  grasping,  and  King's  gained 
the  benefit  of  his  change  of  mind. 

Among  great  authors  two  of  the  chief 
collectors  were  Scott  and  Southey.  Scott's 
library  still  remains  at  Abbotsford,  and  no 
one  who  has  ever  entered  that  embodiment 
of  the  great  man's  soul  can  ever  forget  it. 
The  library,  with  the  entire  contents  of 
the  house,  were  restored  to  Scott  in  1830 
by  his  trustees  and  creditors,  "As  the  best 
means  the  creditors  have  of  expressing 
their  very  high  sense  of  his  most  honour- 
able conduct,  and  in  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  unparalleled  and  most  successful 
exertions  he  has  made,  and  continues  to 
make  for  them."  The  library  is  rich  in 
the  subjects  which  the  great  author  loved, 
such  as  Demonology  and  Witchcraft.  In 
a  volume  of  a  collection  of  Ballads  and 
Chapbooks  is  this  note  written  by  Scott  in 
1810:  "This  little  collection  of  stall  tracts 
and  ballads  was  formed  by  me,  when  a  boy, 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     53 

from  the  baskets  of  the  travelling  pedlars. 
Until  put  into  its  present  decent  binding, 
it  had-such  charms  for  the  servants,  that  it 
was  repeatedly,  and  with  difficulty,  recovered 
from  their  clutches.  It  contains  most  of 
the  pieces  that  were  popular  about  thirty 
years  since,  and  I  dare  say  many  that  could 
not  now  be  procured  for  any  price." 

It    is    odd   to   contrast   the   book-loving 

tastes  of  celebrated  authors.     Soathey  ^ared 

Jbr  his  books,  but  Coleridge  woujdjgut  the 

leaves  of  a  book,  with  a   butter  knife,  and 


De  Quincey's  extraordmary  treatment  of 
books  is  well  described  by  Mr.  Burton  in 
the  Book  Hunter.  Charles  Lamb's  loving 
**agpjeaatioiL^of-4HS~books--is— known  to  all 
readers_of_-the  delightfiLLE.lia-. 

Southey  collected  more  than  14,000 
volumes,  which  sold  in  1844  for  nearly 
£3000.  He  began  collecting  as  a  boy, 
for  his  father  had  but  few  books.  Mr. 
Edwards  enumerates  these  as  follows  : 
The  Spec/a/or,  three  or  four  volumes  of 
the  Oxford  Magazine,  one  volume  of  the 
Freeholder 's  Magazine,  and  one  of  the  Town 


54  How  io  Form  a  Library. 

and  Country  Magazine,  Pomfret's  Poems, 
the  Death  of  Abel,  nine  plays  (including 
Julius  Casar,  The  Indian  Queen,  and  a 
translation  of  Merope),  and  a  pamphlet.1 

Southey  was  probably  one  of  the  most 
representative  of  literary  men.  His  feelings 
in  tils  library  are  those  ofalFtroofe-loyers, 
althoug^h^could  expre^S^th^S^feelings 
inTanguage~which  tew^of  them 


My  days  among  the  dead  are  passed  ; 

Around  me  I  behold, 
Where'er  these  casual  eyes  are  cast, 

The  mighty  minds  of  old  : 
My  never-failing  friends  are  they, 
With  whom  I  converse  day  by  day. 

With  them  I  take  delight  in  weal, 

And  seek  relief  in  woe  ; 
And  while  I  understand  and  feel 

How  much  to  them  I  owe, 
My  cheeks  have  often  been  bedewed 
With  tears  of  thoughtful  gratitude. 

1  Libraries  and  Founders  of  Libraries,  p.  95. 


How  Men  have  Formed  Libraries.     55 

My  thoughts  are  with  the  dead  ;  with  them 

I  live  in  long-past  years  ; 
Their  virtues  love,  their  faults  condemn, 

Partake  their  hopes  and  fears, 
And  from  their  lessons  seek  and  find 
Instruction  with  a  humble  mind. 

My  hopes  are  with  the  dead  ;  anon 

My  place  with  them  will  be 
And  I  with  them  shall  travel  on 

Through  all  futurity ; 
Yet  leaving  here  a  name,  I  trust, 
That  will  not  perish  in  the  dust. 

Mr.  Henry  Stevens  read  a  paper  or  rather 
delivered  an  address  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Library  Association  held  at  Liverpool  in 
1883,  containing  his  recollections  of  Mr. 
James  Lenox,  the  great  American  book 
collector.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  listening 
to  that  address,  but  I  have  read  it  in  its 
finished  form  with  even  greater  delight. 
It  is  not  often  that  he  who  pleases  you 
as  a  speaker  also  pleases  you  as  writer,  but 
Mr.  Stevens  succeeds  in  both.  If  more 
bibliographers  could  write  their  reminis- 
cences with  the  same  spirit  that  he  does,  we 


56  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

should  hear  less  of  the  dullness  of  biblio- 
graphy. I  strongly  recommend  my  readers 
to  take  an  early  opportunity  of  perusing 
this  paper  in  the  Liverpool  volume  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Library  Association. 

Mr.  Stevens,  among  his  anecdotes  of  Mr. 
Lenox,  records  that  he  "often  bought  dupli- 
cates for  immediate  use,  or  to  lend,  rather 
than  grope  for  the  copies  he  knew  to  be 
in  the  stocks  in  some  of  his  store  rooms 
or  chambers,  notably  Stirling's  Artists  of 
Spain,  a  high-priced  book." 

This  is  a  common  trouble  to  large  book 
collectors,  who  cannot  find  the  books  they 
know  they  possess.  The  late  Mr.  Crossley 
had  his  books  stacked  away  in  heaps,  and 
he  was  often  unable  to  lay  his  hands  upon 
books  of  which  he  had  several  copies. 


CHAPTER     II. 

How  to  Buy. 

DISCUSSION  has  arisen  lately  in 
bibliographical  journals  as  to 
how  best  to  supply  libraries 
with  their  books,  the  main  principle  agreed 
upon  being  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
librarian  to  buy  his  books  as  cheaply  as 
possible.  Some  of  these  views  are  stated 
by  Mr.  H.  R.  Tedder  in  a  letter  printed  in 
the  Library  Chronicle  for  July,  1884  (vol.  i. 
p.  120).  It  appears  that  Professor  Dziatzko 
contends  that  the  books  should  always  be 
bought  as  cheaply  as  possible,  but  that  Dr. 
Julius  Petzholdt  holds  the  opinion  that  the 
chief  object  of  the  librarian  should  be  to 
get  his  books  as  early  as  possible  and  not 
to  wait  until  they  can  be  had  at  second- 
hand.     Mr.   Tedder   thinks   that    the   two 


58  Hoiv  to  Form  a  Library. 

plans  of  rapidity  of  supply  and  cheapness 
of  cost  can  in  some  respect  be  united.  Of 
course  there  can  be  no  difference  of  opinion 
in  respect  to  the  duty  of  the  librarian  to 
get  as  much  for  his  money  as  he  can,  but 
there  are  other  points  which  require  to  be 
considered  besides  those  brought  forward 
before  a  satisfactory  answer  to  the  question 
— How  to  Buy  ?  can  be  obtained.  There 
are  three  points  which  seem  to  have  been 
very  much  overlooked  in  the  discussion, 
which  may  be  stated  here.  i.  Is  the 
librarian's  valuable  time  well  occupied  by 
looking  after  cheap  copies  of  books?  2. 
Will  not  the  proposed  action  on  the  part 
of  librarians  go  far  to  abolish  the  intelligent 
second-hand  bookseller  in  the  same  way 
as  the  new  bookseller  has  been  well-nigh 
abolished  in  consequence  of  large  dis- 
counts ?  3.  Will  not  such  action  prevent 
the  publication  of  excellent  books  on 
subjects  little  likely  to  be  popular  ? 

1.  Most  librarians  find  their  time  pretty 
well  occupied  by  the  ordinary  duties  of  buy- 
ing, arranging,  cataloguing,  and  finding  the 


How  to  Buy.  59 

books  under  their  charge,  and  it  will  be 
generally  allowed  that  the  librarian's  first 
duty  is  to  be  in  his  library,  ready  to  attend  to 
those  who  wish  to  consult  him.  Now  the 
value  of  his  time  can  be  roughly  estimated  for 
this  purpose  in  money,  and  the  value  of  the 
time  spent  in  doing  work  which  could  be 
as  well  or  better  done  by  a  bookseller 
should  fairly  be  added  to  the  cost  of  the 
books. 

2.  It  has  hitherto  been  thought  advisable 
to  have  one  or  more  second-hand  book- 
sellers attached  to  an  important  library, 
from  whom  the  librarian  may  naturally 
expect  to  obtain  such  books  as  he  requires. 
Of  course  a  man  of  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience must  be  paid  for  the  exercise  of 
these  qualities,  but  the  price  of  books  is 
so  variable  that  it  is  quite  possible  that  the 
bookseller,  from  his  knowledge,  may  buy  the 
required  books  cheaper  than  the  librarian 
himself  would  pay  for  them.  As  far  as  it  is 
possible  to  judge  from  the  information  given 
us  respecting  the  collection  of  libraries, 
bookbuyers  have  little  to  complain  of  as  to 


60  How  io  Form  a  Library. 

the  price  paid  by  them  to  such  respectable 
booksellers  as  have  acted  as  their  agents. 
Perhaps  too  little  stress  has  been  laid  upon 
that  characteristic  which  is  happily  so 
common  among  honest  men,  viz.  that  the 
agent  is  as  pleased  to  get  wares  cheap  for 
a  good  customer  as  for  himself.  Mr.  Tedder 
says  in  his  letter,  "  For  rarer  books  I  still 
consider  it  safer  and  cheaper  in  the  long 
run  to  cultivate  business  relations  with  one 
or  more  second-hand  booksellers,  and  pay 
them  for  their  knowledge  and  experience." 
But  is  this  quite  fair,  and  is  it  not  likely 
that  the  rarer  books  will  be  supplied  cheaper 
if  the  bookseller  is  allowed  to  pay  himself 
partly  out  of  the  sale  of  the  commoner 
books,  which  it  is  now  proposed  the  libra- 
rian shall  buy  himself?  My  contention  is 
that  it  is  for  the  advantage  of  libraries  that 
intelligent  booksellers,  ready  to  place  their 
knowledge  at  the  service  of  the  librarians, 
should  exist,  and  it  is  unwise  and  un- 
economic to  do  that  which  may  cause 
this  class  to  cease  to  exist.  Sellers  of 
books  must  always  exist,  but  it  is  possible 


How  to  Buy.  6 1 

to  drive  out  of  the  trade  those  who  do 
it  the  most  honour.  We  see  what  has 
occurred  in  the  new  book  trade,  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  book- 
buyer  loses  much  more  than  he  gains  by 
the  present  system  of  discount.  When  the 
bookseller  could  obtain  sufficient  profit  by 
the  sale  of  new  books  to  keep  his  shop 
open,  it  was  worth  his  while  to  take  some 
trouble  in  finding  the  book  required ;  but 
now  that  the  customer  expects  to  buy  a 
book  at  trade  price,  he  cannot  be  surprised 
if  he  does  not  give  full  particulars  as  to 
the  publisher  of  the  book  he  requires  if  it 
is  reported  to  him  as  "not  known."  Those 
only  who,  by  taking  a  large  quantity  of 
copies,  obtain  an  extra  discount,  can  make 
new  bookselling  pay. 

3.  There  are  a  large  number  of  books 
which,  although  real  additions  to  literature, 
can  only  be  expected  to  obtain  a  small 
number  of  readers  and  buyers.  Some  of  these 
are  not  taken  by  the  circulating  libraries, 
and  publishers,  in  making  their  calculations, 
naturally  count  upon  supplying  some  of  the 


6z  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

chief  libraries  of  the  country.  If  these 
libraries  wait  till  the  book  is  second-hand, 
the  number  of  sales  is  likely  to  be  so  much 
reduced  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  publish 
the  book  at  all,  to  the  evident  damage  of 
the  cause  of  learning. 

It  has  been  often  suggested  that  an 
arrangement  should  be  made  by  libraries 
in  close  proximity,  so  that  the  same  ex- 
pensive book  should  not  be  bought  by  more 
than  one  of  the  libraries.  No  doubt  this 
is  advantageous  in  certain  circumstances, 
but  in  the  case  of  books  with  a  limited  sale 
it  would  have  the  same  consequence  as 
stated  above,  and  the  book  would  not  be 
published  at  all,  or  be  published  at  a  loss." 

Selden  wrote  in  his  Table  Talk :  "  The 
giving  a  bookseller  his  price  for  his  books 
has  this  advantage ;  he  that  will  do  so,  shall 
have  the  refusal  of  whatsoever  comes  to  his 
hand,  and  so  by  that  means  get  many  things 
which  otherwise  he  never  should  have  seen." 
And  the  dictum  is  as  true  now  as  it  was  in 
his  time. 

Many  special  points  arise  for  consideration 


How  to  Buy.  63 

when  we  deal  with  the  question — How 
to  buy  at  sales  ?  and  Mr.  Edward  Edwards 
gives  the  following  four  rules  for  the  guid- 
ance of  the  young  book-buyer  {Memoirs  of 
Libraries,  vol.  ii.  p.  645): 

1.  The  examination  of  books  before  the 
sale,  not  during  it.  2.  A  steady  unin- 
termittent  bidding  up  to  his  predetermined 
limit,  for  all  the  books  which  he  wants, 
from  the  first  lot  to  the  last ;  and — if  there 
be  any  signs  of  a  "  combination " — for  a 
few  others  which  he  may  not  want.  3.  Care- 
ful avoidance  of  all  interruptions  and  con- 
versation ;  with  especial  watchfulness  of 
the  hammer  immediately  after  the  disposal 
of  those  especially  seductive  lots,  which 
may  have  excited  a  keen  and  spirited 
competition.  (There  is  usually  on  such 
occasions  a  sort  of  "lull,"  very  favourable 
to  the  acquisition  of  good  bargains.)  4. 
The  uniform  preservation  and  storing  up 
of  priced  catalogues  of  all  important  sales 
for  future  reference. 

A  case  of  conscience  arises  as  to  whether 
it  is  fit  and  proper  for  two  buyers  to  agree 


64  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

not  to  oppose  each  other  at  a  public  sale. 
Mr.  Edwards  says,  "At  the  sales  Lord 
Spencer  was  a  liberal  opponent  as  well  as 
a  liberal  bidder.  When  Mason's  books 
were  sold,  for  example,  in  1798,  Lord 
Spencer  agreed  with  the  Duke  of  Roxburghe 
that  they  would  not  oppose  each  other,  in 
bidding  for  some  books  of  excessive  rarity, 
but  when  both  were  very  earnest  in  their 
longings,  "toss  up,  after  the  book  was 
bought,  to  see  who  should  win  it."  Thus 
it  was  that  the  Duke  obtained  his  unique, 
but  imperfect,  copy  of  Caxton's  Historye 
of  Kynge  Blanchardyn  and  Prince  Eglantyne, 
which,  however,  came  safely  to  Althorp 
fourteen  years  later,  at  a  cost  of  two 
hundred  and  fifteen  pounds ;  the  Duke 
having  given  but  twenty  guineas."  ! 

It  is  easy  to  understand  the  inducement 
which  made  these  two  giants  agree  not  to 
oppose  each  other,  but  the  agreement  was 
dangerously  like  a  "knock-out."  Mr.  Henry 
Stevens    (in   his  Recollections  of  Mr.  Jamts 

1  Libraries  and  Founders  of  Libraries,  1864,  p.  404. 


How  to  Bay.  65 

Lenox)  boldly  deals  with  this  question,  and 
condemns  any  such  agreement.  He  writes, 
"Shortly  after,  in  1850,  there  occurred  for 
sale  at  the  same  auction  rooms  a  copy  of 
'  Aratus,  Pfiaenomena,'  Paris,  1559,  in  40,  with 
a  few  manuscript  notes,  and  this  autograph 
signature  on  the  title,  '  Jo.  Milton,  Pre. 
is.bd.  1 631.'"  This  I  thought  would  be 
a  desirable  acquisition  for  Mr.  Lenox,  and 
accordingly  I  ventured  to  bid  for  it  as  far 
as  £\o,  against  my  late  opponent  for  the 
Drake  Map,  but  he  secured  it  at  £^0  10s., 
remarking  that  "  Mr.  Panizzi  will  not  thank 
you  for  thus  running  the  British  Museum." 
"  That  remark,"  I  replied,  "  is  apparently 
one  of  your  gratuities.  Mr.  Panizzi  is, 
I  think,  too  much  a  man  of  the  world  to 
grumble  at  a  fair  fight.  He  has  won  this 
time,  though  at  considerable  cost,  and  I 
am  sure  Mr.  Lenox  will  be  the  first  to  con- 
gratulate him  on  securing  such  a  prize  for 
the  British  Museum."  "I  did  not  know 
you  were  bidding  for  Mr.  Lenox."  "  It 
was  not  necessary  that  you  should." 
"  Perhaps  at  another  time,"  said  he,  "  we 

5 


66  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

may  arrange  the  matter  beforehand,  so 
as  not  to  oppose  each  other."  "Very 
well,"  I  replied,  "if  you  will  bring  me  a 
note  from  Mr.  Panizzi  something  to  this 
effect :  '  Mr.  Stevens,  please  have  a  knock- 
out with  the  bearer,  the  agent  of  the  British 
Museum,  on  lot  *  *,  and  greatly  oblige  Mr. 
John  Bull  and  your  obdt.  servant,  A.  P.,' 
I  will  consider  the  proposition,  and  if  Mr. 
Lenox,  or  any  other  of  my  interested  cor- 
respondents, is  not  unwilling  to  combine 
or  conspire  to  rob  or  cheat  the  proprietors, 
the  '  thing '  may  possibly  be  done.  Mean- 
while, until  this  arrangement  is  concluded, 
let  us  hold  our  tongues  and  pursue  an 
honest  course."  That  man  never  again 
suggested  to  me  to  join  him  in  a  "  knock- 
out." 

In  another  place  Mr.  Stevens  relates  his 
own  experience  as  to  holding  two  com- 
missions, and  the  necessity  of  buying  the 
book  above  the  amount  of  the  lowest  of  the 
two.  The  circumstance  relates  to  a  copy 
of  the  small  octavo  Latin  edition  of  the 
Columbus  Letter,  in  eight  leaves,  at  the  first 


How  to  Buy.  67 

Libri  sale,  Feb.  19,  1849.  Mr.  Stevens 
writes,  "  Mr.  Brown  ordered  this  lot  with 
a  limit  of  25  guineas,  and  Mr.  Lenox  of 
£?■$.  Now  as  my  chief  correspondents  had 
been  indulged  with  a  good  deal  of  liberty, 
scarcely  ever  considering  their  orders  com- 
pletely executed  till  they  had  received  the 
books  and  decided  whether  or  not  they 
would  keep  them,  I  grew  into  the  habit 
of  considering  all  purchases  my  own  until 
accepted  and  paid  for.  Consequently  when 
positive  orders  were  given,  which  was  very 
seldom,  I  grew  likewise  into  the  habit  of 
buying  the  lot  as  cheaply  as  possible,  and 
then  awarding  it  to  the  correspondent  who 
gave  the  highest  limit.  This  is  not  always 
quite  fair  to  the  owner ;  but  in  my  case  it 
would  have  been  unfair  to  myself  to  make 
my  clients  compete,  as  not  unfrequently  the 
awarded  lot  was  declined  and  had  to  go  to 
another.  Well,  in  the  case  of  this  Columbus 
Letter,  though  I  had  five  or  six  orders,  I 
purchased  it  for £ib  10s.,  and,  accordingly, 
as  had  been  done  many  times  before  within 
the  last  five  or  six  years  without  a  grumble, 


68  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

I  awarded  it  to  the  highest  limit,  and  sent 
the  little  book  to  Mr.  John  Carter  Brown. 
Hitherto,  in  cases  of  importance,  Mr.  Lenox 
had  generally  been  successful,  because  he 
usually  gave  the  highest  limit.  But  in  this 
case  he  rebelled.  He  wrote  that  the  book 
had  gone  under  his  commission  of  ^25, 
that  he  knew  nobody  else  in  the  transaction, 
and  that  he  insisted  on  having  it,  or  he 
should  at  once  transfer  his  orders  to  some 
one  else.  I  endeavoured  to  vindicate  my 
conduct  by  stating  our  long-continued 
practice,  with  which  he  was  perfectly  well 
acquainted,  but  without  success.  He  grew 
more  and  more  peremptory,  insisting  on 
having  the  book  solely  on  the  ground  that 
it  went  under  his  limit.  At  length,  after 
some  months  of  negotiation,  Mr.  Brown, 
on  being  made  acquainted  with  the  whole 
correspondence,  very  kindly,  to  relieve  me 
of  the  dilemma,  sent  the  book  to  Mr.  Lenox 
without  a  word  of  comment  or  explanation, 
except  that,  though  it  went  also  below  his 
higher  limit,  he  yielded  it  to  Mr.  Lenox 
for  peace From   that   time   I 


How  to  Buy.  69 

resorted,  in  cases  of  duplicate  orders  from 
them,  to  the  expedient  of  always  putting 
the  lot  in  at  one  bid  above  the  lower  limit, 
which,  after  all,  I  believe  is  the  fairer  way 
in  the  case  of  positive  orders.  This  some- 
times cost  one  of  them  a  good  deal  more 
money,  but  it  abated  the  charing  and 
generally  gave  satisfaction.  Both  thought 
the  old  method  the  fairest  when  they  got 
the  prize.  But  I  was  obliged,  on  the  new 
system  of  bidding,  to  insist  on  the  purchaser 
keeping  the  book  without  the  option  of  re- 
turning it."  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  latter  plan  was  the  most  satisfactory. 

Some  persons  appear  to  be  under  the  im- 
pression that  whatever  a  book  fetches  at 
a  public  sale  must  be  its  true  value,  and 
that,  as  the  encounter  is  open  and  public, 
too  much  is  not  likely  to  be  paid  by  the 
buyer ;  but  this  is  a  great  mistake,  and  prices 
are  often  realized  at  a  good  sale  which  are 
greatly  in  advance  of  those  at  which  the 
same  books  are  standing  unsold  in  second- 
hand booksellers'  shops. 

Much  knowledge  is  required  by  those  who 


yo  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

wish  to  buy  with  success  at  sales.  Books 
vary  greatly  in  price  at  different  periods, 
and  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose,  from  the 
high  prices  realized  at  celebrated  sales, 
which  are  quoted  in  all  the  papers,  that 
books  are  constantly  advancing  in  price. 
Although  many  have  gone  up,  many  others 
have  gone  down,  and  at  no  time  probably 
were  good  and  useful  books  to  be  bought 
so  cheap  as  now.  If  we  look  at  old  sale 
catalogues  we  shall  find  early  printed  books, 
specimens  of  old  English  poetry  and  the 
drama,  fetching  merely  a  fraction  of  what 
would  have  to  be  given  for  them  now ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  we  shall  find  pounds  then 
given  for  standard  books  which  would  not 
now  realize  the  same  number  of  shillings ; 
this  is  specially  the  case  with  classics. 

The  following  passage  from  Hearne's 
Diaries  on  the  fluctuations  in  prices  is  of 
interest  in  this  connection  : — "The  editions 
of  Classicks  of  the  first  print  (commonly 
called  editones  principes)  that  used  to  go 
at  prodigious  prices  are  now  strangely 
lowered ;   occasioned  in  good  measure  by 


How  to  Buy.  7 1 

Mr.  Thomas  Rawlinson,  my  friend,  being 
forced  to  sell  many  of  his  books,  in  whose 
auction  these  books  went  cheap,  tho' 
English  history  and  antiquities  went  dear : 
and  yet  this  gentleman  was  the  chief  man 
that  raised  many  curious  and  classical  books 
so  high,  by  his  generous  and  courageous 
way  of  bidding."  ' 

These  first  editions,  however,  realize  large 
prices  at  the  present  time,  as  has  been  seen 
at  the  sale  of  the  Sunderland  Library.  It 
is  experience  only  that  will  give  the  neces- 
sary knowledge  to  the  book  buyer,  and  no 
rules  laid  down  in  books  can  be  of  any  real 
practical  value  in  this  case.  Persons  who 
know  nothing  of  books  are  too  apt  to 
suppose  that  what  they  are  inclined  to 
consider  exorbitant  prices  are  matters  of 
caprice,  but  this  is  not  so.  There  is 
generally  a  very  good  reason  for  the  high 
price. 

We  must  remember  that  year  by  year  old 
and  curious  books  become  scarcer,  and  the 

1  Reliquia  Heamiance,  1869,  vol.  ii.  p.  158. 


J2  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

number  of  libraries  where  they  are  locked 
up  increase ;  thus  while  the  demand  is 
greater,  the  supply  diminishes,  and  the  price 
naturally  becomes  higher.  A  unique  first 
edition  of  a  great  author  is  surely  a  posses- 
sion to  be  proud  of,  and  it  is  no  ignoble 
ambition  to  wish  to  obtain  it. 


CHAPTER    III. 

Public  Libraries. 

IB R ARIES  may  broadly  be  divided 
into  Public  and  Private,  and  as 
private  libraries  will  vary  accord- 
ing to  the  special  idiosyncrasies  of  their 
owners,  so  still  more  will  public  libraries 
vary  in  character  according  to  the  public 
they  are  intended  for.  The  answer  there- 
fore to  the  question — How  to  form  a  Public 
Library  ? — must  depend  upon  the  character 
of  the  library  which  it  is  proposed  to  form. 
Up  to  the  period  when  free  town  libraries 
were  first  formed,  collections  of  books  were 
usually  intended  for  students  ;  but  when  the 
Public  Libraries'  Acts  were  passed,  a  great 
change  took  place,  and  libraries  being 
formed    for   general    readers,    and    largely 


74  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

with  the  object  of  fostering  the  habit  of 
reading,  an  entirely  new  idea  of  libraries 
came  into  existence.  The  old  idea  of  a 
library  was  that  of  a  place  where  books 
that  were  wanted  could  be  found,  but  the 
new  idea  is  that  of  an  educational  estab- 
lishment, where  persons  who  know  little  or 
nothing  of  books  can  go  to  learn  what  to 
read.  The  new  idea  has  naturally  caused 
a  number  of  points  to  be  discussed  which 
were  never  thought  of  before. 

But  even  in  Town  Libraries  there  will  be 
great  differences.  Thus  in  such  places  as 
Birmingham,  Liverpool,  and  Manchester, 
the  Free  Libraries  should  be  smaller  British 
Museums,  and  in  this  spirit  their  founders 
have  worked ;  but  in  smaller  and  less  im- 
portant towns  a  more  modest  object  has  to 
be  kept  in  view,  and  the  wants  of  readers, 
more  than  those  of  consulters  of  books, 
have  to  be  considered. 

Mr.  Beriah  Botfield  has  given  a  very  full 
account  of  the  contents  of  the  libraries 
spread  about  the  country  and  associated 
with  the  different  Cathedrals  in  his  Notes  on 


Public  Libraries.  75 

the  Cathedral  Libraries  of  England,  1849. 
These  libraries  have  mostly  been  formed 
upon  the  same  plan,  and  consist  very  largely 
of  the  works  of  the  Fathers,  and  of  old 
Divinity.  Some  contain  also  old  editions 
of  the  classics,  and  others  fine  early  editions 
of  English  authors.  In  former  times  these 
libraries  were  much  neglected,  and  many  of 
the  books  were  lost ;  but  the  worst  instance 
of  injury  to  a  library  occurred  at  Lincoln 
at  the'  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
when  a  large  number  of  Caxtons,  Pynsons, 
Wynkyn  de  Wordes,  etc.,  were  sold  to  Dr. 
Dibdin,  and  modern  books  purchased  for 
the  library  with  the  proceeds.  Dibdin 
printed  a  list  of  his  treasures  under  the  title 
of  "The  Lincolne  Nosegay."  Mr.  Botfield 
has  reprinted  this  catalogue  in  his  book. 

The  first  chapter  of  the  United  States 
Report  on  Public  Libraries  is  devoted  to 
Public  Libraries  a  hundred  years  ago. 
Mr.  H.  E.  Scudder  there  describes  some 
American  libraries  which  were  founded  in 
the  last  century.  One  of  these  was  the 
Loganian  Library  of  Philadelphia.     Here 


J 6  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

is  an  extract  from  the  will  of  James  Logan, 
the  founder — 

"  In  my  library,  which  I  have  left  to  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  for  the  advancement 
and  facilitating  of  classical  learning,  are 
above  one  hundred  volumes  of  authors,  in 
folio,  all  in  Greek,  with  mostly  their  versions. 
All  the  Roman  classics  without  exception. 
All  the  Greek  mathematicians,  viz.  Archi- 
medes, Euclid,  Ptolemy,  both  his  Geography 
and  Almagest,  which  I  had  in  Greek  (with 
Theon's  Commentary,  in  folio,  above  700 
pages)  from  my  learned  friend  Fabricius, 
who  published  fourteen  volumes  of  his 
Bibliotheque  Grecque,  in  quarto,  in  which, 
after  he  had  finished  his  account  of  Ptolemy, 
on  my  inquiring  of  him  at  Hamburgh,  how 
I  should  find  it,  having  long  sought  for  it 
in  vain  in  England,  he  sent  it  to  me  out 
of  his  own  library,  telling  me  it  was  so 
scarce  that  neither  prayers  nor  price  could 
purchase  it ;  besides,  there  are  many  of  the 
most  valuable  Latin  authors,  and  a  great 
number  of  modern  mathematicians,  with 
all  the  three  editions  of  Newton,  Dr.  Watts, 


Public  Libraries.  jj 

Halley,  etc."  The  inscription  on  the  house 
of  the  Philadelphia  Library  is  well  worthy 
of  repetition  here.  It  was  prepared  by 
Franklin,  with  the  exception  of  the  refer- 
ence to  himself,  which  was  inserted  by  the 
Committee. 

Be  it  remembered, 

in  honor  of  the  Philadelphia  youth 

(then  chiefly  artificers), 

that  in  MDCCXXXI 

they  cheerfully, 

at  the  instance  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 

one  of  their  number, 

instituted  the  Philadelphia  Library, 

which,  though  small  at  first, 

is  become  highly  valuable  and  extensively  useful, 

and  which  the  walls  of  this  edifice 

are  now  destined  to  contain  and  preserve  : 

the  first  stone  of  whose  foundation 

was  here  placed 
the  thirty-first  day  of  August,  1 789. 

Mr.  F.  B.  Perkins,  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library,  contributed  to  the  Report  on  Public 
Libraries  in  the  United  States  a  useful  chapter 
on  "  How  to  make  Town  Libraries  success- 
ful" (pp.  419-430).     The  two  chief  points 


78  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

upon  which  he  lays  particular  stress,  and 
which  may  be  said  to  form  the  texts  for 
his  practical  remarks,  are :  ( i )  that  a  Public 
Library  for  popular  use  must  be  managed 
not  only  as  a  literary  institution,  but  also 
as  a  business  concern;  and  (2)  that  it  is  a 
mistake  to  choose  books  of  too  thoughtful 
or  solid  a  character.  He  says,  "It  is  vain 
to  go  on  the  principle  of  collecting  books 
that  people  ought  to  read,  and  afterwards 
trying  to  coax  them  to  read  them.  The 
only  practical  method  is  to  begin  by  supply- 
ing books  that  people  already  want  to  read, 
and  afterwards  to  do  whatever  shall  be  found 
possible  to  elevate  their  reading  tastes  and 
habits." 

A  series  of  articles  on  "  How  to  Start 
Libraries  in  Small  Towns"  was  published 
in  the  Library  Journal  (vol.  i.  pp.  161,  213, 
249,  313,  355,  421),  and  Mr.  Axon's  Hints 
on  the  Formation  of  Small  Libraries  has 
already  been  mentioned.  We  must  not  be 
too  rigid  in  the  use  of  the  term  Public 
Libraries,  and  we  should  certainly  include 
under  this    description   those   institutional 


Public  Libraries.  79 

Libraries  which,  although  primarily  intended 
for  the  use  of  the  Members  of  the  Societies 
to  which  they  belong,  can  usually  be  consulted 
by  students  who  are  properly  introduced. 

Of  Public  Libraries  first  in  order  come 
the  great  libraries  of  a  nation,  such  as 
the  British  Museum.  These  are  supplied 
by  means  of  the  Copyright  Law,  but  the 
librarians  are  not  from  this  cause  ex- 
onerated from  the  troubles  attendant  on 
the  formation  of  a  library.  There  are  old 
books  and  privately  printed  and  foreign 
books  to  be  bought,  and  it  is  necessary 
that  the  most  catholic  spirit  should  be  dis- 
played by  the  librarians.  The  same  may 
be  said  in  a  lesser  degree  of  the  great 
libraries  of  the  more  important  towns. 

In  England  the  Universities  have  noble 
libraries,  more  especially  those  of  Oxford 
and  Cambridge,  but  although  some  colleges 
possess  fine  collections  of  books,  college 
libraries  are  not  as  a  rule  kept  up  to  a  very 
high  standard.  The  United  States  Report 
contains  a  full  account  of  the  college  libraries 
in  America  (pp.  60-126). 


Bo  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

The  libraries  of  societies  are  to  a  large 
extent  special  ones,  and  my  brother,  the 
late  Mr.  B.  R.  Wheatley,  in  a  paper  read 
before  the  Conference  of  Librarians,  1877, 
entitled  "  Hints  on  Library  Management, 
so  far  as  relates  to  the  Circulation  of 
Books,"  particularly  alluded  to  this  fact. 
He  wrote,  "  Our  library  is  really  a  medical 
and  surgical  section  of  a  great  Public 
Library.  Taking  the  five  great  classes  of 
literature,  I  suppose  medicine  and  its  allied 
sciences  may  be  considered  as  forming  a 
thirtieth  of  the  whole,  and,  as  our  books 
number  30,000,  we  are,  as  it  were,  a  com- 
plete section  of  a  Public  Library  of  nearly 
a  million  volumes  in  extent." 

The  United  States  Report  contains  several 
chapters  on  special  libraries,  thus  chapter  2 
is  devoted  to  those  of  Schools  and  Asylums ; 
4,  to  Theological  Libraries;  5,  to  Law;  6,  to 
Medical;  and  7,  to  Scientific  Libraries.  For 
the  formation  of  special  libraries,  special 
bibliographies  will  be  required,  and  for  in- 
formation on  this  subject  reference  should 
be  made  to  Chapter  VI.  of  the  present  work. 


Public  Libraries.  81 

When  we  come  to  deal  with  the  Free 
Public  Libraries,  several  ethical  questions 
arise,  which  do  not  occur  in  respect  to 
other  libraries.  One  of  the  most  pressing 
of  these  questions  refers  to  the  amount  of 
Fiction  read  by  the  ordinary  frequenters 
of  these  libraries. 

This  point  is  alluded  to  in  the  United 
States  Report  on  Public  Libraries.  Mr.  J. 
P.  Quincy,  in  the  chapter  on  Free  Libraries 
(p.  389),  writes,  "Surely  a  state  which  lays 
heavy  taxes  upon  the  citizen  in  order  that 
children  may  be  taught  to  read  is  bound  to 
take  some  interest  in  what  they  read  ;  and 
its  representatives  may  well  take  cognizance 
of  the  fact  that  an  increased  facility  for 
obtaining  works  of  sensational  fiction  is  not 
the  special  need  of  our  country  at  the  close 
of  the  first  century  of  its  independence." 
He  mentions  a  free  library  in  Germanstown, 
Pa.,  sustained  by  the  liberality  of  a  religious 
body,  and  frequented  by  artisans  and  work- 
ing people  of  both  sexes.  It  had  been 
in  existence  six  years  in  1876,  and  then 
contained  7000   volumes.     No   novels  are 

6 


82  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

admitted  into  the  library.  The  following 
is  a  passage  from  the  librarian's  report  of 
1874:  "In  watching  the  use  of  our  library 
as  it  is  more  and  more  resorted  to  by  the 
younger  readers  of  our  community,  I  have 
been  much  interested  in  its  influence  in 
weaning  them  from  a  desire  for  works  of 
fiction.  On  first  joining  the  library,  the 
new  comers  often  ask  for  such  books,  but 
failing  to  procure  them,  and  having  their 
attention  turned  to  works  of  interest  and 
instruction,  in  almost  every  instance  they 
settle  down  to  good  reading  and  cease 
asking  for  novels.  I  am  persuaded  that 
much  of  this  vitiated  taste  is  cultivated  by 
the  purveyors  to  the  reading  classes,  and 
that  they  are  responsible  for  an  appetite 
they  often  profess  to  deplore,  but  continue 
to  cater  to,  under  the  plausible  excuse  that 
the  public  will  have  such  works." 

Mr.  Justin  Winsor  in  chapter  20  (Reading 
in  Popular  Libraries)  expresses  a  somewhat 
different  view.  He  writes,  "Every  year  many 
young  readers  begin  their  experiences  with 
the  library.     They  find  all  the  instructive 


Public  Libraries.  83 

reading  they  ought  to  have  in  their  school 
books,  and  frequent  the  library  for  story 
books.  These  swell  the  issues  of  fiction, 
but  they  present  the  statistics  of  that  better 
reading  into  which  you  have  allured  the 
older  ones,  from  telling  as  they  should  in 
the  average." 

At  the  London  Conference  of  Librarians 
(1877),  Mr.  P.  Cowell,  Librarian  of  the 
Liverpool  Public  Library,  read  a  paper  on 
the  admission  of  Fiction  in  Free  Public 
Libraries,  where  he  discussed  the  subject 
in  a  very  fair  manner,  and  deplored  the 
high  percentage  of  novel  reading  in  these 
libraries.  At  the  Second  Annual  Meeting 
of  the  Library  Association  (1879)  Mr.  J. 
Taylor  Kay,  Librarian  of  Owens  College, 
Manchester,  in  his  paper  on  the  Provision 
of  Novels  in  Rate-supported  Libraries,  more 
completely  condemned  this  provision.  He 
concluded  his  paper  with  these  words : 
"  Clearly  a  hard  and  fast  line  must  be  drawn. 
A  distinct  refusal  by  the  library  committees 
to  purchase  a  single  novel  or  tale  would 
be   appreciated   by  the   rate-payers.     The 


84  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

suggestion  of  a  sub-committee  to  read  this 
literature  would  not  be  tolerated,  and  no 
man  whose  time  is  of  value  would  undergo 
the  infliction.  The  libraries  would  attain 
their  true  position,  and  the  donations  would 
certainly  be  of  a  higher  class,  if  the  aims 
of  the  committees  were  known  to  be  higher. 
Manchester  has  already  curtailed  its  issues 
of  novels.  It  has  been  in  the  vanguard  on 
the  education  question :  and  let  us  hope  it 
will  be  true  to  its  traditions,  to  its  noble 
impulses,  and  lead  the  van  in  directing  the 
educational  influence  of  the  free  libraries, 
and  striking  out  altogether  any  expenditure 
in  the  dissemination  of  this  literature." 

This  question  probably  would  not  have 
come  to  the  front  if  it  were  not  that  the 
educational  value  of  Free  Libraries,  as  the 
complement  of  Board  Schools,  has  been 
very  properly  put  forward  by  their  promoters. 
With  this  aim  in  view,  it  does  startle  one 
somewhat  to  see  the  completely  dispro- 
portionate supply  of  novels  in  the  Free 
Libraries.  This  often  rises  to  75  per  cent, 
of  the  total  supply,  and  in  some  libraries 


Public  Libraries.  85 

even  a  higher  percentage  has  been  reached. 
There  are,  however,  exceptions.  At  the 
Baltimore  Peabody  Institute  Fiction  did 
not  rise  to  more  than  one-tenth  of  the  total 
reading.  The  following  are  some  figures 
of  subjects  circulated  at  that  library  above 
1000 : — 

Belles  Lettres 4598 

Fiction 3999 

Biography 2003 

Greek  and  Latin  Classics  .     .     .  1265 

History  (American) 1 137 

Law 1051 

Natural  History 1738 

Theology 1168 

Periodicals  (Literary)    ....  4728 

Periodicals  (Scientific)  ....  1466 

Mr.  Cowell  says  that  during  the  year 
ending  3 1  st  August,  1877,  453,585  volumes 
were  issued  at  the  reference  library  alone 
(Liverpool  Free  Public  Library) ;  of  these 
1 70>53i  were  strictly  novels.  The  high- 
percentage  of  novel  reading  is  not  confined 
to  Free  Public  Libraries,  for  we  find  that  in 
the  Odd  Fellows'  Library  of  San  Francisco, 


86  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

in  1874,  64,509  volumes  of  Prose  Fiction 
were  lent  out  of  a  total  of  78,219.  The 
other  high  figures  being  Essays,  2280; 
History,  1823  ;  Biography  and  Travels, 
1664.  In  the  College  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  of  the  books  taken  out  by  students 
between  Nov.  1876,  and  Nov.  1877,  1043 
volumes  were  Novels,  the  next  highest 
numbers  were  Science,  153;  Poetry,  133; 
History,  130.1 

In  considering  this  question  one  naturally 
asks  if  the  masterpices  of  our  great  authors, 
which  every  one  should  read,  are  to  be 
mixed  up  with  the  worthless  novels  con- 
stantly being  published  in  the  condemnation 
of  Fiction ;  but,  to  some  extent,  both  Mr. 
Cowell  and  Mr.  Kay  answer  this.  The  first 
of  these  gentlemen  writes :  "  As  to  the 
better  class  novels,  which  are  so  graphic 
in  their  description  of  places,  costumes, 
pageantry,  men,  and  events,  I  regret  to  say 
that  they  are  not  the  most  popular  with 
those  who  stand  in  need  of  their  instructive 

1  Library  Journal,  vol.  ii.  p.  70. 


Public  Libraries.  87 

descriptions.  I  could  generally  find  upon 
the  library  shelves  '  Harold,'  '  The  Last  of 
the  Barons,'  '  Westward  Ho  ! '  '  Hypatia,' 
'  Ivanhoe,'  '  Waverley,'  'Lorna  Doone,'  etc., 
when  not  a  copy  of  the  least  popular  of 
the  works  of  Mrs.  Henry  Wood,  '  Ouida,' 
Miss  Braddon,  or  Rhoda  Broughton  were 
to  be  had."  Mr.  Kay  corroborates  this 
opinion  in  his  paper. 

Most  of  us  recognize  the  value  of  honest  fic- 
tion for  children  and  the  overwrought  brains 
of  busy  men,  but  the  reading  of  novels  of 
any  kind  can  only  be  justified  as  a  relaxation, 
and  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  there  is  a  large  class 
of  persons  who  will  read  nothing  but  novels 
and  who  call  all  other  books  dry  reading. 
Upon  the  minds  of  this  class  fiction  has  a 
most  enervating  effect,  and  it  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected that  ratepayers  will  desire  to  increase 
this  class  by  the  indiscriminate  supply  of 
novels  to  the  Free  Libraries.  Some  persons 
are  so  sanguine  as  to  believe  that  readers 
will  be  gradually  led  from  the  lower  species 
of  reading  to  the  higher ;  but  there  is  little 
confirmation  of  this  hope  to  be  found  in 


88  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

the  case  of  the  confirmed  novel  readers  we 
see  around  us. 

The  librarian  who,  with  ample  funds  for 
the  purpose,  has  the  duty  before  him  of 
forming  a  Public  Library,  sets  forward  on 
a  pleasant  task.  'He  has  the  catalogues  of 
all  kinds  of  libraries  to  guide  him,  and  he 
will  be  able  to  purchase  the  groundwork 
of  his  library  at  a  very  cheap  rate,  for 
probably  at  no  time  could  sets  of  standard 
books  be  bought  at  so  low  a  price  as  now. 
Many  books  that  are  not  wanted  by  private 
persons  are  indispensable  for  a  Public 
Library,  and  there  being  little  demand  for 
them  they  can  be  obtained  cheap.  When 
the  groundwork  has  been  carefully  laid,  then 
come  some  of  the  difficulties  of  collecting. 
Books  specially  required  will  not  easily  be 
obtained,  and  when  they  are  found,  the 
price  will  probably  be  a  high  one.  Books 
of  reference  will  be  expensive,  and  as  these 
soon  get  out  of  date,  they  will  frequently 
need  renewal. 


CHAPTER    IV. 
Private   Libraries. 


REATING  of  private  libraries,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  consider  their 
constitution  under  two  heads, 
according  as  they  are  required  in  town  or 
country.  In  London,  for  instance,  where 
libraries  of  all  kinds  are  easily  accessible, 
a  man  need  only  possess  books  on  his  own 
particular  hobby,  and  a  good  collection  of 
books  of  reference ;  but  in  the  country, 
away  from  public  libraries,  a  well-selected 
collection  of  standard  books  will  be  neces- 
sary. 

i .   Town. 

Every  one  who  loves  books  will  be  sure 
to  have  some  favourite  authors  on  special 
subjects  of  study  respecting  which  he  needs 


90  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

no  instruction  farther  than  that  which  is 
ready  to  his  hand.  Books  on  these  subjects 
he  will  need,  both  in  town  and  country,  if 
he  possesses  two  houses.  Some  collectors 
make  their  town  house  a  sort  of  gathering- 
place  for  the  accessions  to  their  country 
libraries.  Here  a  class  is  completed,  bound, 
and  put  in  order,  and  then  sent  to  the 
country  to  find  its  proper  place  in  the  family 
library. 

This  is  an  age  of  books  of  reference,  and 
as  knowledge  increases,  and  the  books 
which  impart  it  to  readers  become  un- 
wieldy from  their  multitude,  there  are  sure 
to  be  forthcoming  those  who  will  reduce 
the  facts  into  a  handy  form.  I  have  gathered 
in  the  following  pages  the  titles  of  some 
of  the  best  books  of  reference  which  are  to 
be  obtained.  Many,  if  not  all  of  these,  are 
to  be  found  in  that  magnificent  library  of 
reference — the  Reading  Room  of  the  British 
Museum.  In  some  cases  where  the  books 
are  constantly  being  reprinted,  dates  have 
been  omitted.  There  are,  doubtless,  many 
valuable  works  which   I   have  overlooked, 


Private  Libraries.  91 

and  some  Text-books  I  have  had  to  leave 
out  owing  to  the  exigencies  of  space,  but  I 
trust  that  the  present  list  will  be  found  useful. 

Abbreviations.  —  Dictionnaire  des  Abreviations 
Latines  et  Francaises  usitees  dans  les  inscriptions 
lapidaires  et  metalliques,  les  manuscrits  et  les  chartes 
du  Moyen  Age.  Par  L.  Alph.  Chassant.  Quatrieme 
edition.    Paris,  1876.     Sm.  8vo. 

Anthropology. — Notes  and  Queries  on  Anthropology, 
for  the  use  of  Travellers  and  Residents  in  Uncivilized 
Lands.  Drawn  up  by  a  Committee  appointed  by  the 
British  Association.     London,  1874.     Sm.  8vo. 

Antiquities. — Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Roman 
Antiquities.    Edited  by  Dr.  William  Smith.    Roy.  8vo. 

Dictionnaire  des   Antiquites   Grecques   et 

Romaines  d'apres  les  textes  et  les  Monuments  .  . 
Ouvrage  redige  .  .  sous  la  direction  de  Ch.  Daremberg 
et  Edm.  Saglio.    Paris,  1873.    4to. 

The  Life  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  de- 
scribed from  Antique  Monuments,  by  E.  Guhl  and 
W.  Koner,  translated  from  the  third  German  edition 
by  F.  Hueffer.     London,  1875.     8vo. 

Gallus  or  Roman  Scenes  of  the  Time  of 

Augustus.  By  W.  A.  Becker,  translated  by  F. 
Metcalfe.     London. 

Charicles  :  Illustrations  of  the  Private  Life 

of  the  Ancient  Greeks.  By  W.  A.  Becker,  translated 
by  F.  Metcalfe.     London. 


92  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Antiquities. — Archaeological  Index  to  remains  of  an- 
tiquity of  the  Celtic,  Romano-British  and  Anglo-Saxon 
Periods.  By  John  Yonge  Akerman.  London,  1847.  8vo. 

Introduction  to  English  Antiquities.      By 

James  Eccleston.     London,  1847.     8vo. 

■ ■   The    English    Archaeologist's    Handbook. 

By  Henry  Godwin.     Oxford,  1867.     8vo. 

Architecture. — A  Dictionary  of  the  Architecture 
and  Archaeology  of  the  Middle  Ages.  ...  By  John 
Britton.     London,  1838. 

History   of   Architecture  in   all  countries, 

from  the  earliest  times  to  the  present  day.  By  James 
Fergusson.     London,  1865-76.     4  vols.     8vo. 

Nicholson's  Dictionary  of  the  Science  and 

Practice  of  Architecture,  Building,  Carpentry,  etc. 
New  edition,  edited  by  Edward  Lomax  and  Thomas 
Gunyon.     London.     2  vols.     4to. 

An  Encyclopaedia  of  Architecture,  historical, 

theoretical,  and  practical.  By  Joseph  Gwilt,  revised  by 
Wyatt  Papworth.    New  edition.    London,  1876.    8vo. 

The  Dictionary  of  Architecture,  issued  by 

the  Architectural  Publication  Society.  A  to  Oz. 
4  vols.     Roy.  4to.     (In  progress.) 

A   Glossary   of    Terms  used   in   Grecian, 

Roman,  Italian,  and  Gothic  Architecture.  Fifth 
edition,  enlarged.     Oxford,  1850.     3  vols.     8vo. 

An  Encyclopaedia  of  Cottage,   Farm,   and 

Villa  Architecture  and  Furniture.  ...  By  J.  C. 
Loudon.     London,  1833.     8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  93 

Arts,  Manufactures,  etc. — Ure's  Dictionary  of  Arts, 
Manufactures,  and  Mines,  containing  a  clear  exposition 
of  their  Principles  and  Practice.  By  Robert  Hunt, 
assisted  by  F.  W.  Rudler.  Seventh  edition.  London, 
1875.     3  vols.     8vo. 

Spons'  Encyclopaedia  of  the  Industrial  Arts, 

Manufactures,  and  Commercial  Products.  London, 
1879.     8  vols.     Roy.  8vo. 

Astronomy. — History  of  Physical  Astronomy.  By 
Robert  Grant.  London  [1852].  A  most  valuable 
book,  but  now  out  of  print  and  scarce. 

An  Historical  Survey  of  the  Astronomy  of 

the  Ancients.  By  G.  Cornewall  Lewis.  London, 
1862.     8vo. 

Bible. — Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  comprising  its 
Antiquities,  Biography,  Mythology,  and  Geography. 
By  Dr.  William  Smith.     Roy.  8vo. 

A   Biblical   Cyclopaedia    or    Dictionary  ot 

Eastern  Antiquities,  Geography,  Natural  History, 
Sacred  Annals  and  Biography,  Theology  and  Biblical 
Literature,  illustrative  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
Edited  by  John  Eadie,  D.  D. ,  LL.  D.  Twelfth  edition. 
London,  1 870.     8vo. 

The  Bible  Atlas  of  Maps   and   Plans   to 

illustrate  the  Geography  and  Topography  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  and  the  Apocrypha,  with  Ex- 
planatory Notes  by  Samuel  Clark,  M.A.  Also  a 
complete  Index  of  the  Geographical  Names  .  .  by 
George  Grove.     London,  1868.     4to. 


94  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Bible.     See  Concordances. 

Bibliography. — See  Chapters  V.  and  VI. 

Biography. — Mr.  Chancellor  Christie  contributed  a 
very  interesting  article  to  the  Quarterly  Review  (April, 
1884)  on  Biographical  Dictionaries,  in  which  he  details 
the  history  of  the  struggle  between  the  publishers  of 
the  Biographie  Universale  and  Messrs.  Didot,  whose 
Dictionary  was  eventually  entitled  Nouvelle  Biographie 
Genirale.  The  new  edition  of  the  Biographie  Univer- 
sale (45  vols.  Imp.  8vo.  Paris,  1854)  is  an  invaluable 
work.  Chalmers's  Biographical  Dictionary  (32  vols. 
8vo.  1812-17)  is  a  mine  of  literary  wealth,  from- 
which  compilers  have  freely  dug.  Rose's  (12  vols. 
8vo.  1848)  was  commenced  upon  a  very  comprehensive 
plan,  but  the  lives  were  considerably  contracted  before 
the  work  was  completed.  It  is,  however,  a  very  useful 
work.  L.  B.  Phillips's  "  Dictionary  of  Biographical 
Reference"  contains  100,000  names,  and  gives  the 
dates  of  birth  and  death,  which  in  many  instances  is  all 
the  information  the  consulter  requires,  and  should 
more  be  required,  he  is  referred  to  the  authority. 
This  book  is  quite  indispensable  for  every  library. 
There  are  several  national  Biographical  Dictionaries, 
and  at  last  a  thoroughly  satisfactory  Biographia 
Britannica  is  in  course  of  publication  by  Messrs. 
Smith  &  Elder.  The  "Dictionary  of  National 
Biography,  edited  by  Leslie  Stephen,"  has  reached 
the  fifth  volume,  and  extends  to  Bottisham. 

Robert  Chambers's  Biographical  Dictionary 


Private  Libraries.  95 

of  Eminent  Scotsmen  (Glasgow,  1835-56.  5  vols.  8vo.) 
will  be  found  useful. 

Biography. — Dr.  William  Allen's  "American  Bio- 
graphical Dictionary"  was  published  at  Boston  in  1857. 

Biographie   Nouvelle   des   Contemporains 

.  .  .  Par  A.  V.  Arnault  [etc.].  Paris,  1820-25. 
20  vols.  8vo.  Mr.  Edward  Smith  points  this  book 
out  to  me  as  specially  valuable  for  information  re- 
specting actors  in  the  French  Revolution. 

Handbook    of    Contemporary   Biography. 

By  Frederick  Martin.     London,  1870.     Sm.  8vo. 

Men  of  the  Time  :  a  Dictionary  of  Con- 
temporaries. Eleventh  edition.  Revised  by  Thompson 
Cooper.  London,  1884.  Sm.  8vo.  A  volume  of 
1 168  pages  should  contain  a  fair  representation  of  the 
men  of  the  day,  and  yet  it  is  ludicrously  incomplete. 
The  literary  side  is  as  much  overdone  as  the  scientific 
side  is  neglected.  This  is  not  the  place  to  make  a  list 
of  shortcomings,  but  it  will  probably  astonish  most 
of  our  readers  to  learn  that  such  eminent  Men  of  the 
Time  as  Sir  Frederick  Abel,  Sir  Frederick  Bramwell, 
and  the  late  Dr.  W.  B.  Carpenter  are  not  mentioned. 
As  this  book  has  as  a  high  reputation,  the  editor 
should  thoroughly  revise  it  for  a  new  edition. 

Men  of  the  Reign.  A  Biographical  Dic- 
tionary of  Eminent  Characters  of  both  Sexes,  who 
have  died  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria.  Edited 
by  T.  Humphry  Ward.  (Uniform  with  "Men  of  the 
Time.")     London,  1885. 


g6  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Biography. — Dictionnaire  Universel  des  Contem- 
porains.  .  .  .  Par  G.  Vapereau.  Cinquieme  edition. 
Paris,  1880.     8vo. 

Supplement.     Oct.  188 1. 

Biographie  Nationale  des  Contemporains, 

redigee  par  une  Societe  de  Gens  de  Lettres  sous  la 
direction  de  M.  Ernest  Glaeser.  Paris,  1878.  Royal 
8vo. 

Dictionnaire  General  de  Biographie  Con- 

temporaine  Francaise  et  Etrangere.  Par  Ad.  Bitard. 
Paris,  1878.     8vo. 

To   this  list   of  Contemporary  Biography 

may  be  added  the  Indexes  of  Obituary  Notices 
published  by  the  Index  Society. 

(Bishops.)— Fasti  Ecclesiae  Anglicanse,  or  a  Calendar 
of  the  principal  Ecclesiastical  Dignitaries  in  England 
and  Wales,  and  of  the  chief  officers  in  the  Universities 
of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  from  the  earliest  time  to 
the  year  1715.  Compiled  by  John  Le  Neve.  Cor- 
rected and  continued  from  17 15  to  the  present  time 
by  T.  Duffus  Hardy.    Oxford,  1854.    3  vols.    8vo. 

Fasti  Ecclesiae  Hibernicae.     The  Succession 

of  the  Prelates  and  Members  of  Cathedral  Bodies  in 
Ireland.  By  Henry  Cotton,  D.CL.  Dublin, 
1847-60.     5  vols.    8vo. 

[Lawyers.) — Lives  of  the  Chief  Justices  of  England. 
By  John  Lord  Campbell.  Second  edition.  London, 
1858.     3  vols.     8vo. 

Lives  of  the  Lord  Chancellors  and  Keepers 


Private  Libraries.  97 

of  the  Great  Seal  of  England.  By  John  Lord  Campbell. 
Fourth  edition.  London,  1856.  10  vols.  Sm.  8vo. 
{Scientific  Men.) — Poggendorff  (J.  C.).  Biogra- 
phisch-Literarisches  Handworterbuch  zur  Geschichte 
der  'exacten  Wissenschaften,  enthaltend  Nachweis- 
ungen  iiber  Lebensverhaltnisse  und  Leistungen  von 
Mathematikern,  Astronomen,  Physikern,  Chemikern, 
Mineralogen,  Geologen  u.  s.  w.  aller  Volker  und 
Zeiten.     Leipzig,  1863.     Roy.  8vo. 


( Cambridge. ) — Athense  Cantabrigienses.  By  Charles 
Henry  Cooper,  F.S.A.,  and  Thompson  Cooper. 
Cambridge,  1858-61.  Vol.  I.  1500-1585.  Vol.  II. 
1586- 1609.     8vo. 

Graduati  Cantabrigienses,  1 760-1856.  Cura 

Josephi  Romilly,  A.M.     Cantabrigise,  1856. 

■  Graduati  Cantabrigienses,  1800-1884.  Cura 

Henrici  Richardo  Luard,  S.T.P.     Cantabrigioe,  1884. 

{Oxford.) — Athenas  and  Fasti  Oxonienses.  By  Ant. 
a.  Wood.  New  edition,  with  Notes,  Additions,  and 
Continuation  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  P.  Bliss.  4  vols.  4to. 
1813-20. 

Catalogue  of  all  Graduates  in  the  University 

of  Oxford,  1659-1850.     Oxford,  1851.     8vo. 

{Dublin.) — A  Catalogue  of  Graduates  who  have 
proceeded  to  degrees  in  the  University  of  Dublin  from 
the  earliest  recorded  Commencements  to  July,  1866, 
with  Supplement  to  December  16,  1868.  Dublin, 
1869.   8vo.  Vol.  II.   1 868-1 883.    Dublin,  1884.    8vo 


98  How  to  Form  a  Library. 

{Eton.) — Alumni  Etonenses,  or  a  Catalogue  of  the 
Provosts  and  Fellows  of  Eton  College  and  King's 
College,  Cambridge,  from  the  Foundation  in  1443  to 
the  Year  1797.  By  Thomas  Harwood.  Birmingham, 
1797.     4to. 

{Westminster.) — The  List  of  the  Queen's  Scholars 
of  St.  Peter's  College,  Westminster,  admitted  on  that 
Foundation  since  1663,  and  of  such  as  have  been 
thence  elected  to  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  and  Trinity 
College,  Cambridge,  from  the  Foundation  by  Queen 
Elizabeth,  1561,  to  the  present  time.  Collected  by 
Joseph  Welch.  A  new  edition  .  .  .  by  an  old  King's 
Scholar.     London,  1852.     Roy.  8vo. 


Botany. — An  Encyclopaedia  of  Trees  and  Shrubs  ; 
being  the  Arboretum  et  Fruticetum  Britannicum 
abridged  .  .  .  By  J.  C.  Loudon.     London,  1842.    8vo. 

Loudon's  Encyclopaedia  of  Plants  .  .  .  New 

edition  corrected  to  the  present  time.  Edited  by  Mrs. 
Loudon.     London,  1855.     8vo. 

The  Vegetable  Kingdom  ;  or  the  structure, 

classification  and  uses  of  plants,  illustrated  upon  the 
natural  system.  By  John  Lindley,  Ph.D.,  F.R.S. 
Third  edition.     London,  1853.     8vo. 

International  Dictionary  of  Plants  in  Latin, 

German,  English  and  French,  for  Botanists,  and 
especially  Horticulturists,  Agriculturists,  Students  of 
Forestry  and  Pharmaceutists,  by  Dr.  William  Ulrich. 
Leipzig,  1872.     8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  99 

Botany. — Topographical  Botany  :  being  Local  and 
Personal  Records  towards  shewing  the  distribution 
of  British  Plants  traced  through  112  counties  and 
vice-counties  of  England,  Wales  and  Scotland.  By 
Hewett  Cottrell  Watson.  Second  edition,  corrected 
and  enlarged.     London,  1883.     8vo. 

The  need  of  an  authoritative  list  of  Botanical 
names  must  be  frequently  felt  by  a  large  number  of 
writers,  those  who  have  but  little  knowledge  of  the 
science  even  more  than  Botanists  themselves.  The 
following  work  will  be  found  useful  for  this  purpose, 
but  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  a  much  larger  and 
more  exhaustive  list  will  shortly  be  published,  as  Mr. 
Daydon  Jackson,  Secretary  of  the  Linnean  Society,  is, 
we  believe,  now  engaged  upon  such  a  work.  ' '  No- 
menclator  Botanicus  seu  Synonymia  Plantarum 
Universalis  ....  Autore  Ernesto  Theoph.  Steudel ; 
editio  secunda,  Stuttgartise  et  Tubingae,  1841."  Royal 
8vo. 

Cards. — Facts  and  Speculations  on  the  Origin  and 
History  of  Playing  Cards.  By  William  Andrew 
Chatto.     London,  1848.     8vo. 

A  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Playing  and 

other  Cards  in  the  British  Museum,  accompanied 
by  a  Concise  General  History  of  the  Subject,  and 
Remarks  on  Cards  of  Divination  and  of  a  Politico- 
Historical  Character.  By  William  Hughes  Willshire, 
M.D.  Printed  by  order  of  the  Trustees,  1876. 
Royal  8vo. 


ioo         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Chemistry. — A  Dictionary  of  Chemistry  and  the 
allied  Branches  of  other  Sciences,  founded  on  that 
of  the  late  Dr.  Ure.  By  Henry  Watts.  1863-68. 
5  vols.  8vo.  Supplement,  1872.  Second  Supple- 
ment, 1879.     Third  Supplement,  1879-81.     2  vols. 

Handbook  of  Modern  Chemistry,  Inorganic 

and  Organic,  for  the  use  of  Students.  By  Charles 
Meymott  Tidy,  M.B.,  F.C.S.     London,   1878.     8vo. 

Handbook  of  Chemistry.     By  L.  Gmelin. 

Trans,  by  H.  Watts.   London,  1848-67.   17  vols.   8vo. 

Industrial  Chemistry,  based  upon  the  German 

edition  of  Payen's  "Precis  de  Chimie  Industrielle," 
edited  by  B.  H.  Paul.     London,  1878. 

A  Treatise  on  Chemistry.     By  [Sir]  H.  E. 

Roscoe  and  C.  Schorlemmer.     London.     8vo. 

Coins. — A  Numismatic  Manual.  By  John  Yonge 
Akerman,  F.S.A.     London,  1840.     8vo. 

The  Silver  Coins  of  England  arranged  and 

described  by  E.  Hawkins.     London,  1841.     8vo. 

The  Gold  Coins  of  England  arranged  and 

described,  being  a  sequel  to  Mr.  Hawkins's  Silver 
Coins  of  England,  by  his  grandson,  Robert  Lloyd 
Kenyon.     London,  1880.     8vo. 

Commerce. — A  Dictionary,  Practical,  Theoretical, 
and  Historical,  of  Commerce  and  Commercial  Naviga- 
tion. By  the  late  J.  R.  McCulloch.  Latest  edition 
by  A.  J.  Wilson.     London,  1882.     8vo. 

History  of  British  Commerce,  1 763-1870. 

By  Leone  Levi.     London,  1872.     8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  101 

Concordances. 

Aristophanes. — A  Complete  Concordance  to  the 
Comedies  and  Fragments  of  Aristophanes.  By  Henry 
Dunbar,  M.D.     Oxford,  1883.    4to. 

Bible. — A  complete  Concordance  to  the  Holy 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  By 
Alexander  Cruden,  M.A.  London,  1737.  4to. 
Second  edition  1761,  third  edition  1769  ;  this  is  the 
last  corrected  by  the  author.  Most  of  the  Concord- 
ances published  since  are  founded  upon  Cruden. 

An  Analytical   Concordance  to  the   Holy 

Scriptures,  or  the  Bible  presented  under  distinct  and 
classified  heads  of  topics.  Edited  by  John  Eadie, 
D.D.,  LL.D.     London  and  Glasgow,  1856.     8vo. 

Homer. — A  Complete  Concordance  to  the  Iliad  ot 
Homer.  By  Guy  Lushington  Prendergast.  London, 
1875.     4to. 

A  Complete  Concordance  to  the  Odyssey 

and  Hymns  of  Homer,  to  which  is  added  a  Concord- 
ance to  the  parallel  passages  in  the  Iliad,  Odyssey 
and  Hymns.  By  Henry  Dunbar,  M.D.  Oxford, 
1880.     4to. 

Milton. — A  Complete  Concordance  to  the  Poetical 
Works  of  Milton.  By  Guy  Lushington  Prendergast, 
Madras  Civil  Service.  Madras,  1857.  4to.  Originally 
published  in  12  parts. 

A  Complete  Concordance  to  the  Poetical 

Works  of  John  Milton.  By  Charles  Dexter  Cleveland, 
LL.D.     London,  1867.     Sm.  8vo. 


102         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

The  Rev.  H.  J.  Todd  compiled  a  verbal  Index 
to  the  whole  of  Milton's  Poetry,  which  was  ap- 
pended to  the  second  edition  of  his  life  of  the  Poet 
(1809). 

Pope. — A  Concordance  to  the  Works  of  Alexander 
Pope.      By    Edwin   Abbott,    with    an    Introduction    • 
by  Edwin  A.   Abbott,  D.D.     London,  1875.     Royal 
8vo. 

Shakespeare.  —  The  Complete  Concordance  to 
Shakspere  :  being  a  verbal  Index  to  all  the  passages 
in  the  dramatic  works  of  the  Poet.  By  Mrs.  Cowden 
Clarke.     London,  1845.     Royal  8vo. 

Shakespeare-Lexicon  :  a  Complete  Dic- 
tionary of  all  the  English  words,  phrases  and  con- 
structions in  the  works  of  the  poet.  By  Dr.  Alexander 
Schmidt.  (Berlin  and  London),  1874.  2  vols,  royal 
8vo. 

A  Concordance  to  Shakespeare's  Poems  : 

an  Index  to  every  word  therein  contained.  By  Mrs. 
Horace  Howard  Furness.     Philadelphia,  1874. 

A    Handbook    Index  to    the   Works    of 

Shakespeare,  including  references  to  the  phrases, 
manners,  customs,  proverbs,  songs,  particles,  etc., 
which  are  used  or  alluded  to  by  the  great  Dramatist. 
ByJ.O.  Halliwell,  Esq.,  F.R.S.  London,  1866.  8vo. 
Only  fifty  copies  printed. 

Tennyson. — A  Concordance  of  the  entire  works  of 
Alfred  Tennyson,  P.L.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.  By  D. 
Barron  Brightwell.     London,  1869.     8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  103 

Tennyson. — Concordance  to  the  works  of  Alfred 
Tennyson,  Poet  Laureate.  London,  1870.  "The 
Holy  Grail,"  etc.,  is  indexed  separately. 

AnIndexto"InMemoriam."  London,  1 862. 


Costume. — A  Cyclopaedia  of  Costume  or  Dictionary 
of  Dress,  including  Notices  of  Contemporaneous 
Fashions  on  the  Continent.  .  .  .  By  James  Robinson 
Planche,  Somerset  Herald.  London,  1876-79.  2 
vols.  4to.  Vol.  I.  Dictionary.  Vol.  II.  General 
History  of  Costume  in  Europe. 

Councils. — Councils  and  Ecclesiastical  Documents 
relating  to  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Edited  after 
Spelman  and  Wilkins,  by  Arthur  West  Haddan, 
B.D.,  and  William  Stubbs,  M.A.  Oxford,  1869. 
Vol.  II.  Part  I.  1873.    Vol.  III.   1871.     8vo. 

England's  Sacred  Synods.  A  Constitu- 
tional History  of  the  Convocations  of  the  Clergy  from 
the  earliest  Records  of  Christianity  in  Britain  to  the 
date  of  the  promulgation  of  the  present  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  including  a  List  of  all  Councils, 
Ecclesiastical  as  well  as  Civil,  held  in  England  in 
which  the  Clergy  have  been  concerned.  By  James 
Wayland  Joyce,  M.A.     London,  1855.     8vo. 

Dates. — See  History. 

Dictionaries. 

(English.) — One  of  the  most  useful  English 
Dictionaries  is  the  "Imperial  Dictionary"  by  Ogilvie, 


104         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

which  has  been  edited  with  great  care  by  Charles 
Annandale.1  The  vocabulary  is  very  full,  the  ety- 
mology is  trustworthy,  and  the  definitions  are  clear 
and  satisfactory.  The  engravings  which  are  inter- 
spersed with  the  text  are  excellent,  and  greatly  a<!ra  to 
the  utility  of  the  Dictionary. 

For  years  preparations  have  been  made  for  a 
Standard  English  Dictionary,  and  at  last  the  work 
has  been  commenced  under  the  able  editorship  of  Dr. 
James  A.  H.  Murray.  In  1857,  on  the  suggestion  of 
Archbishop  Trench,  the  Philological  Society  undertook 
the  preparation  of  a  Dictionary,  "  which  by  the  com- 
pleteness of  its  vocabulary,  and  by  the  application  of 
the  historical  method  to  the  life  and  use  of  words, 
might  be  worthy  of  the  English  language  and  ot 
English  scholarship."  The  late  Mr.  Herbert  Coleridge 
and  Dr.  Furnivall  undertook  the  editorship,  and  a 
large  number  of  volunteers  came  forward  to  read 
books  and  extract  quotations.  Mr.  Coleridge  died 
in  the  midst  of  his  work,  and  upon  Dr.  Furnivall 
devolved  the  entire  editorship  in  addition  to  his 
other  onerous  duties  as  Secretary  of  the  Philological 
Society.  He  projected  the  admirable  system  of  sub- 
editing, which  proved  so  successful.  As  the  work 
proceeded   several   of  the  most  energetic  and   most 

'  The  Imperial  Dictionary  of  the  English  Language :  a 
Complete  Encyclopaedic  Lexicon,  Literary,  Scientific,  and 
Technological.  By  John  Ogilvie,  LL.D.  New  edition. 
Carefully  revised  and  greatly  augmented,  edited  by  Charles 
Annandale,  M.A.    London,  1882-83.     4  vols.     Imp.  8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  105 

competent  workers  undertook  to  sub-edit  the  materials 
already  collected,  each  one  taking  a  separate  letter  of  the 
alphabet.  Some  two  million  quotations  were  amassed, 
but  still  the  man  was  wanting  who  would  devote  his 
life  to  forming  the  Dictionary  from  these  materials. 
In  course  of  time  Dr.  Murray  came  forward,  and  in 
1878  he  prepared  some  specimens  for  submission  to 
the  Delegates  of  the  Clarendon  Press,  who  agreed  to 
publish  the  Dictionary.  The  first  part  was  published 
in  1884,  and  the  second  in  1885. l  It  is  hoped  that  in 
future  it  will  be  possible  to  issue  a  part  every  six 
months.  At  present  the  alphabet  is  carried  down  to 
Batten.  This  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  pieces  of 
work  that  has  ever  been  produced  in  any  country,  and 
it  is  an  honour  to  every  one  concerned.  To  the 
Philological  Society  who  conceived  it,  to  Dr.  Murray 
and  his  staff  who  have  devoted  so  much  labour  and 
intellect  to  its  production,  and  to  the  Clarendon 
Press  who  have  published  it  to  the  world.  It  is, 
moreover,  an  honour  to  the  country  which  now  pos- 
sesses a  well-grounded  hope  of  having,  at  no  distant 
day,  the  finest  Historical  Dictionary  ever  produced. 

In  this  connection  the  Encyclopedic  Dictionary, 
now  in  course  of  publication  by  Messrs.  Cassell, 
should  be  mentioned  as  a  valuable  work. 

1  A  New  English  Dictionary  on  Historical  Principles, 
founded  mainly  on  the  materials  collected  by  the  Philological 
Society.  Edited  by  James  A.  H.  Murray,  LL.D.,  with  the 
assistance  of  many  Scholars  and  Men  of  Science.  Oxford, 
Clarendon  Press.    Royal  4to. 


106         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Up  to  a  few  years  ago  it  was  impossible  to 
obtain  any  satisfactory  etymological  information  on 
English  words  from  our  Dictionaries,  ^rr.  Hensleigh 
Wedgwood  partly  removed  this  reproach  by  the 
publication  of  his  very  valuable  "  Dictionary  of 
English  Etymology"  in  1859,1  but  in  this  work  Mr. 
Wedgwood  only  dealt  with  a  portion  of  the  vocabulary. 

Professor  Skeat  commenced  the  publication  of 
his  indispensable  "Etymological  Dictionary  of  the 
English  Language"  (Clarendon  Press)  in  1879,  and 
in  1884  he  produced  a  second  edition.  In  1882  Pro- 
fessor Skeat  published  "A  Concise  Etymological 
Dictionary,"  which  is  something  more  than  an  abridg- 
ment, and  a  book  which  should  find  a  place  in  all 
libraries  of  reference. 

A  Glossarial  Index  to  the  Printed  English  Litera- 
ture of  the  Thirteenth  Century.  By  H.  Coleridge. 
London,  1859.  8vo.  This  was  one  of  the  earliest 
publications  which  grew  out  of  the  preparations  for 
the  great  Philological  Society's  Dictionary.  A  new 
edition,  prepared  by  Mr.  H.  Bradley,  is  about  to 
be  issued  by  the  Clarendon  Press.  Stratmann's 
Dictionary  of  the  Old  English  Language  (third 
edition,  Krefeld,  1878)  is  an  indispensable  work. 

Of  single  volume  Dictionaries,  Mr.  Hyde  Clarke's 

"New     and     Comprehensive     Dictionary     of     the 

English  Language  as  spoken  and  written  "  in  Weale's 

Educational  Series  (price  y.  6d.)  is  one  of  the  most 

1  A  second  edition  appeared  in  1871-72. 


Private  Libraries.  107 

valuable.  I  have  time  after  time  found  words  there 
which  I  have  searched  for  in  vain  in  more  important 
looking  Dictionaries.  Mr.  Clarke  claims  that  he  was 
the  first  'to  raise  the  number  of  words  registered  in  an 
English  Dictionary  to  100,000. 

The  Rev.  James  Stormonth's  "  Dictionary  of  the 
English  Language,  Pronouncing,  Etymological,  and 
Explanatory,"  is  a  work  of  great  value.  It  is  so 
well  arranged  and  printed  that  it  becomes  a  pleasure 
to  consult  it. 

Those  who  are  interested  in  Dialects  will  require 
all  the  special  Dictionaries  which  have  been  pub- 
lished, and  these  may  be  found  in  the  Bibliography 
now  being  compiled  by  the  English  Dialect  Society, 
but  those  who  do  not  make  this  a  special  study  will 
be  contented  with  "A  Dictionary  of  Archaic  and 
Provincial  Words,  Obsolete  Phrases,  Proverbs,  and 
Ancient  Customs,  from  the  Fourteenth  Century,  by 
J.  O.  Halliwell"  (fifth  edition,  London,  1865,  2  vols." 
8vo.),  which  is  well-nigh  indispensable  to  all.  Nares's 
Glossary  (1822-46,  new  edition,  by  J.  O.  Halliwell 
and  T.  Wright,  2  vols.  8vo.  1859)  is  also  required 
by  those  who  make  a  study  of  Old  English  Literature. 

The  following  is  a  short  indication  of  some 
of  the  most  useful  working  Dictionaries  : 

Arabic. — Lane. 

Greek. — Liddell  &  Scott's  Greek-English  Lexicon, 
both  in  4to.  and  in  abridged  form  in  square  i2mo. 


108         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Latin. — The  Clarendon  Press  publish  a  Latin 
Dictionary  founded  on  Andrews's  edition  of  Freund, 
and  edited  by  C.  T.  Lewis  and  Cohort,  which  is  of 
great  value.  Smith's  Dictionary,  both  the  large 
edition  and  the  smaller  one,  and  that  of  Riddle  are  good. 

French. — The  Dictionaries  of  Fleming  and  Tibbins, 
and  Spiers,  keep  up  their  character,  but  for  idioms  the 
International  French  and  English  Dictionary  of 
Hamilton  and  Legros  is  the  best.  For  smaller 
Dictionaries  Cassell's  is  both  cheap  and  good. 
Bellows's  Pocket  Dictionary  has  obtained  consider- 
able fame,  but  those  who  use  it  need  a  good  eyesight 
on  account  of  the  smallness  of  the  type.  It  is,. how- 
ever, beautifully  printed.  The  Standard  French 
Dictionaries  of  that  language  alone  are  the  noble 
work  of  Littre  and  the  excellent  Dictionary  of 
Poitevin  (2  vols.  4to.).  For  early  French  Godefroy's 
elaborate  work,  which  is  now  in  progress,  must  be 
consulted. 

German. — Fluegel's German  and  English  Dictionary 
still  holds  its  own,  but  Koehler's  Dictionary  is  also 
excellent.  Hilpert's  and  Lucas's  Dictionaries,  both 
good  ones,  are  now  out  of  print.  Of  Standard  German 
Dictionaries  Grimm's  great  work  is  still  in  progress. 
Sanders's  Dictionary  is  also  of  great  value. 

Danish  and  Norwegian.  — The  Dictionary  by  Ferrall, 
Repp,  Rosing  and  Larsen  is  good. 

Dutch. — Calisch  (2  vols.  8vo.  1875). 

Hebrew. — Fuerst,  Gesenius. 


Private  Libraries.  109 

Icelandic.  — Vigfusson. 

Italian. — Baretti's    Dictionary   still    keeps    up   its 
character,  but  Millhouse's  work  is  also  good. 
Portuguese. — Vieyra. 
Russian. — Alexandrow. 

Sanscrit. — Monier  Williams.   Boehtlingk  and  Roth. 
Pdli.— Child  ers. 

Spanish.  —  Neumann  and  Baretti,  and  also  Velasquez. 
Szvedish . — Oman. 


Drama. — Biographia  Dramatica  ;  or  a  Companion 
to  the  Playhouse  .  .  .  originally  compiled  in  the  year 
1764  by  David  Erskine  Baker,  continued  thence  to 
1782  by  Isaac  Reed,  and  brought  down  to  the  end 
of  November,  1811  ...  by  Stephen  Jones.  London, 
1812.     3  vols.  8vo. 

A  Dictionary  of  Old  English  Plays  existing 

either  in  print  or  in  manuscript,  from  the  earliest  times 
to  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  ;  by  James  O. 
Halliwell,  Esq.,  F.R.S.     London,  i860.     8vo. 

Drugs. — Pharmacographia  :  a  History  of  the  Prin- 
cipal Drugs  of  Vegetable  Origin  met  with  in  Great 
Britain  and  British  India.  By  Friedrich  A.  Fluckiger, 
Ph.D.,  and  Daniel  Hanbury,  F.R.S.  Second  edition. 
London,  1879.     8vo. 

Ecclesiology . — Dictionary  of  Doctrinal  and  Historical 
Theology.  Edited  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Blunt,  M.A. 
Second  edition.     London,  1872.     Imp.  8vo. 


no         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Ecclesiology. — Dictionary  of  Christian  Antiquities. 
By  William  Smith,  LL.D.,  and  Professor  S.  Cheatham. 
London,  1876-80.     2  vols,  royal  8vo. 

Dictionary  of  Sects,  Heresies,  Ecclesiastical 

Parties,  and  Schools  of  Religious  Thought.  Edited 
by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  M.A.  London,  1874. 
Imp.  8vo. 

Glossary  of   Ecclesiastical  Ornament   and 

Costume,  compiled  from  Ancient  Authorities  and 
Examples.  By  A.  Welby  Pugin,  Architect.  .  .  . 
Enlarged  and  revised  by  the  Rev.  Bernard  Smith,  M.A. 
Third  edition.     London,  1868.     410. 

A  Glossary  of  Liturgical  and  Ecclesiastical 

Terms.  Compiled  and  arranged  by  the  Rev.  Frederick 
George  Lee,  D.C.L.     London,  1877.     Sq.  8vo. 

See  Ritual. 

Encyclopedias. — The  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  or 
a  Dictionary  of  Arts,  Sciences  and  General  Literature. 
Ninth  edition.  Edinburgh,  1875.  4to.  Now  in  course 
of  publication. 

Encyclopaedia  Metropolitana,  or  Universal 

Dictionary  of  Knowledge.  .  .  .  London,  1815-41. 
26  vols.  4to. 

Chambers's  Encyclopaedia.     10  vols,  royal 

8vo. 

Dictionary  of  Science,  Literature,  and  Art. 

By  W.  T.  Brande.  1842.  New  edition,  edited  by 
the  Rev.  J.  W.  Cox.  London,  1866  67.  3  vols. 
8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  in 

Encyclopedias. — Rees's  Cyclopaedia  (39  vols.,  plates 
6  vols.  1820,  4to. )  can  be  bought  excessively  cheap,  and 
is  well  worth  a  place  in  a  library  where  room  can  be 
found  for  it,  as  many  of  its  articles  have  never  been 
superseded. 

Grand   Dictionnaire    Universel  du   XIXe 

Siecle  Francais,  Historique,  Geographique,  Mytho- 
logique,  Bibliographique,  Litteraire,  Artistique, 
Scientifique,  etc.  .  .  .  Par  Pierre  Larousse.  Paris, 
1866-76.     15  vols.  4to.     Supplement,  tome  16,  1878. 

Dictionnaire  Universel   des   Sciences,   des 

Lettres  et  des  Arts  .  .  .  redige  avec  la  collaboration 
d'Auteurs  speciauxpar  M.  N.  Bouillet  .  .  .  douzieme 
edition.     Paris,  1877.     8vo. 

Geography. — A  General  Dictionary  of  Geography, 
descriptive,  physical,  statistical,  historical,  forming 
a  complete  Gazetteer  of  the  World.  By  A.  Keith 
Johnston.     New  edition.     London,  1877.     8vo. 

The  Library  Cyclopaedia  of  Geography,  de- 
scriptive, physical,  political  and  historical,  forming  a 
New  Gazetteer  of  the  World.  By  James  Bryce,  M.A. 
and  Keith  Johnston.     London,  1880.     Royal  8vo. 

Index  Geographicus,  being  a  List  alpha- 
betically arranged  of  the  principal  places  on  the 
Globe,  with  the  countries  and  sub-divisions  of  the 
countries  in  which  they  are  situated  and  their  latitudes 
and  longitudes.  Compiled  specially  with  reference  to 
Keith  Johnston's  Royal  Atlas,  but  applicable  to  all 
modern  atlases  and  maps.  Edinburgh,  1864.  Roy.  8vo. 


112         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Geography.  — Etymologisch-Geographisches  Lexikon. 
Separat-Ausgabe  des  lexikalischen  Theils  der  Nomina 
Geographica  von  Dr.  J.  J.  Egli.  Leipzig,  1880. 
Royal  8vo. 

Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Rortf&n  Geography, 

by  various  writers,  edited  by  Dr.  W.  Smith.    London, 
1852.     2  vols.  8vo. 

(Scotland.) — Ordnance  Gazetteer  of  Scotland.  A 
Survey  of  Scottish  Topography,  statistical,  bio- 
graphical and  historical.  Edited  by  Francis  H. 
Groome.     Edinburgh,  1884.     Vol.  1,  roy.  8vo. 

[France.') — Santini.  Dictionnaire  General  .  .  .  des 
Communes  de  France  et  des  Colonies.     Paris.     8vo. 

Dictionnaire  des  Postes  de  la  Republique 

Francaise.     6e  edition.     Rennes,  1881.     Roy.  8vo. 

[Italy.) — II  Libro  d£  Comuni  del  Regno  dTtalia. 
Compilato  sopra  elementi  ofnciali  da  Achille  Moltedo. 
Napoli,  1873.     Roy.  8vo. 

[United  Stales.) — The  National  Gazetteer,  a  Geo- 
graphical Dictionary  of  the  United  States  ...  By  L. 
de  Colange,  LL.D.     London,  1884.     Roy.  8vo. 

[India.) — Cyclopaedia  of  India  and  of  Eastern  and 
Southern  Asia,  Commercial,  Industrial,  and  Scientific. 
.  .  .  Edited  by  Edward  Balfour.  .  .  .  Second  edition. 
Madras,  1871-73.  5  vols.  Roy.  8vo.  Third  edition. 
London,  1885.  3  vols.  The  first  edition  was  published 
in  1858,  and  two  Supplements  in  1862. 

Geology. — A  Catalogue  of  British  Fossils  :  com- 
prising the  Genera  and   Species  hitherto  described, 


•  Private  Libraries.  113 

with  references  to  their  geological  distribution.  .  .  . 
By  John  Morris,  F.G.S.  Second  edition.  London, 
1854.     8vo. 

Geology. — Principles  of  Geology.  By  Sir  Charles 
Lyell.'   10th  edition.    London,  1867-8.    2  vols.    8vo. 

Manual  of  Elementary  Geology.     By  Sir 

Charles  Lyell.     London,  1865.     8vo. 

History. — Blair's  Chronological  and  Historical 
Tables  from  the  Creation  to  the  present  times.  .  .  . 
[Edited  by  Sir  Henry  Ellis.]  Imp.  8vo.  London, 
1844. 

Atlas  Universel  d'Histoire  et  de  Geographie 

contenant  ie  la  Chronologic  .  .  .  2e  la  Geneologie 
.  .  .  3e  la  Geographie.  .  .  .  Par  M.  N.  Bouillet. 
Deuxieme  edition.     Paris,  1872.     8vo. 

Dictionnaire    Universel    d'Histoire    et   de 

Geographie  contenant  le  l'Histoire  proprement  dite. 
.  .  .  2e  la  Biographie  Universelle.  .  .  .  3e  la  Mytho- 
logie.  .  .  .  4e  la  Geographie  ancienne  et  moderne. 
Par  M.  N.  Bouillet  .  .  .  ouvrage  revu  et  continue 
par  A  Chassang.  Nouvelle  edition  (vingt-cinquieme), 
avec  un  Supplement.     Paris,  1876.     8vo. 

The  Map  of  Europe  by  Treaty,   showing 

the  various  political  and  territorial  changes  which 
have  taken  place  since  the  General  Peace  of  18 14, 
with  numerous  maps  and  notes.  By  Edward  Hertslet, 
C.B.  London,  1875.  Vol.  X,  1814-1827;  vol.  2, 
1828-1863;  vol.  3,  1864-1875. — This  work  shows 
the  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the  Map  of 


H4         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Europe  by  Treaty  or  other  International  arrangements. 
It  contains  a  List  of  Treaties,  etc.,  between  Great 
Britain  and  Foreign  Powers  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  Peace  of  Europe  and  for  the  Settlement  of 
European  Questions,  1814-75. 

History.  —  Moniteur  des  Dates,  contenant  un  million 
des  renseignements  biographiques,  genealogiques  et 
historiques.  Par  Edouard  Oettinger.  Dresde,  1866-68. 
6  thin  vols.  4to.  Tomes  7,  8,  9,  Supplement 
commence  par  E.  M.  Oettinger  considerablement 
augmente  .  .  .  par  Dr.  Hugo  Schramm.  Leipzig, 
1873-1882. 

Haydn's  Dictionary  of  Dates  and  Universal 

Information  relating  to  all  Ages.  16th  edition,  by 
Benjamin  Vhicent.     London. 

The  Manual  of  Dates.      A  Dictionary  of 

Reference  of  the  most  important  facts  and  events  in 
the  History  of  the  World.  By  George  H.  Townsend. 
Fifth  edition  entirely  remodelled  and  edited  by 
Frederick  Martin.     London,  1877.     8vo. 

Encyclopaedia   o,f  Chronology,    Historical 

and  Biographical.  By  B.  B.  Woodward,  B.A  ,  and 
William  L.  R.  Cates.     London,  1872.     8vo. 

The  Dictionary  of  Chronology,  or  Historical 

and  Statistical  Register.  Compiled  and  edited  by 
William  Henry  Overall,  F.S.A.    London,  1870.  8vo. 

The  Anniversary   Calendar,   Natal  Book, 

and  Universal  Mirror  ;  embracing  anniversaries  of 
persons,    events,    institutions,    and    festivals,   of    all 


Private  Libraries.  115 

denominations,  historical,  sacred  and  domestic,  in 
every  period  and  state  of  the  world.  London,  1832. 
2  vols.     8vo. 

History. — An  Epitome  of  the  Civil  and  Literary 
Chronology  of  Rome  and  Constantinople,  from  the 
death  of  Augustus  to  the  death  of  Heraclius.  By 
Henry  Fynes  Clinton,  M.A.  Edited  by  the  Rev.  C. 
J.  Fynes  Clinton,  M.A.     Oxford,  1853.     8vo. 

Fasti   Romani :    the    Civil    and    Literary 

Chronology  of  Rome  and  Constantinople,  from  the 
death  of  Augustus  to  the  death  of  Justin  II.  [to  the 
death  of  Heraclius].  By  Henry  Fynes  Clinton,  M.A. 
Oxford,  1845-50.     2  vols.     4to. 

Fasti    Hellenici  :    the   Civil   and   Literary 

Chronology  of  Greece,  from  the  earliest  accounts  to 
the  death  of  Augustus.  By  Henry  Fynes  Clinton,  M.A. 
Oxford,  1834-51.     3  vols.     4to. 

Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Materials  relating 

to  the  History  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  to  the 
end  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.  By  Thomas  Duffus 
Hardy.  London,  1862-71.  Vol.  I.  From  the 
Roman  Period  to  the  Norman  Invasion.     Vol.  II. 

A.D.  I066  tO  A.D.  I200.  Vol.  III.  A.D.  I2CO  to 
A.D.  I327. 

The  Dictionary  of  English  History.    Edited 

by  Sidney  J.  Low,  B.A.,  and  F.  S.  Pulling,  M.A. 
London,  1884.     8vo. 

Introduction    to    the    Study    of    English 

History.     By  Samuel  R.  Gardiner,  Hon.  LL.D.,  and 


1 1 6        How  to  Form  a  Library. 
/ 

J.  Bass  Mullinger,  M.A.  London,  1881.  8vo.  The 
Second  part  by  Mr.  Mullinger  is  devoted  to  Authorities, 
and  is  a  model  of  what  such  a  work  should  be. 

History. — Handy-Book  of  Rules  and  Tables  for 
Verifying  Dates  with  the  Christian  Era  .  .  .  with 
Regnal  years  of  English  Sovereigns  from  the  Norman 
Conquest  to  the  present  time,  A.D.  1066  to  1874.  By 
John  J.  Bond.     London,  1875.     Sm.  8vo. 

The  Annals  of  England  :   an  Epitome  of 

English  History,  from  contemporary  writers,  the  Rolls 
of  Parliament  and  other  Public  Records.  Library 
Edition.  Oxford  and  London,  1876.  8vo.  Contains 
some  valuable  information  as  to  the  sources  of  history 
in  the  Appendix. 

The     Representative    History    of    Great 

Britain  and  Ireland,  being  a  History  of  the  House  of 
Commons  and  of  the  Counties,  Cities,  and  Boroughs 
of  the  United  Kingdom  from  the  earliest  period. 
ByT.  H.  B.  Oldfield.     London,  1816.     6  vols.     8vo. 

An   Index  to    "The  Times,"  and  to  the 

topics  and  events  of  the  year  1862.  [By  J.  Giddings.] 
London,  1863.     8vo. 

An  Index  to    "The  Times,"  and  to  the 

topics  and  events  of  the  year  1863.  By  J.  Giddings. 
London,  1864.     8vo. 

Index  to  "The  Times"  Newspaper,  1864, 

to  September,  1885.     London.     410. 

Annals  of  our  Time,  from  the  accession  of 

Queen  Victoria,  1837,  to  the  Peace  of  Versailles,  1871. 


Private  Libraries.  WJ 

By  J.  Irving.      London,   1871.     8vo.      Supplement 
(Feb.  1871— July,  1878).     London,  1879.     8vo. 

{France.) — Dictionnaire   Historique    de   la   France 
.  .  .  .Par  Ludovic  Lalanne.     Paris,  1872.     8vo. 


Insurance. — The  Insurance  Cyclopaedia,  being  a 
Dictionary  of  the  definition  of  terms  used  in  connexion 
with  the  theory  and  practice  of  Insurance  in  all  its 
branches  ;  a  Biographical  Summary  ...  a  Biblio- 
graphical Reportery  ...  By  Cornelius  Walford. 
London,  vol.  1,  1871,  to  vol.  6.     Royal  8vo. 

Language. — See  Dictionaries,  Philology. 

Law. — The  Law-Dictionary,  explaining  the  rise, 
progress,  and  present  state  of  the  British  Law  .  .  . 
By  Sir  Thomas  Edlyne  Tomlins  ;  fourth  edition  by 
Thomas  Colpitts  Granger.    London,  1835.    2  vols.  4to. 

Wharton's  Law-Lexicon,  forming  an  Epitome 

of  the  Law  of  England  .  .  .  seventh  edition  by  J.  M. 
Lely,  M.A.     London,  1863.     Royal  8vo. 

A  Law  Dictionary,  adapted  to  the  Consti- 
tution and  Laws  of  the  United  States  of  America  and 
of  the  several  States  of  the  American  Union  ...  By 
John  Bouvier.   Fourteenth  edition.   Philadelphia,  1870. 

The  Lawyer's  Reference  Manual  of  Law 

Books  and  Citations.  By  Charles  C.  Soule.  Boston, 
1883.     8vo. 

Ancient  Law  ;  its  connection  with  the  early 

history  of  Society,  and  its  relation  to  modern  ideas. 
By  H.  S.  Maine.     London,  1861.     8vo. 


1 1 8         Hew  to  Form  a  Library. 

Law. — Lectures  in  Jurisprudence.  By  John  Austin. 
Third  edition,  revised  and  edited  by  R.  Campbell. 
London,  1869.     3  vols.     8vo. 

Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Parish  Officer.    By 

R.  Burn.  The  30th  edition  was  published  in  1869. 
The  13th  edition  of  Archbold's  Justice  of  the  Peace 
appeared  in  1878. 

Blackstone's  Commentaries  on  the  Laws  of 

England.     Student's  edition. 

Literature. 

(English..)  —  Cyclopaedia  of  English  Literature. 
Edited  by  Robert  Chambers.  Edinburgh,  1843.  New 
edition  by  Robert  Carruthers.  Edinburgh.  2  vols. 
Royal  8vo. 

Dictionary  of  English  Literature,   being  a 

Comprehensive  Guide  to  English  Authors  and  their 
Works.  By  Davenport  Adams.  London,  n.d.   Sq.  8vo. 

Professor  Henry  Morley's  English  Writers, 

his  Fables  of  English  Literature,  and  his  volumes  of 
Selections,  entitled  Library  of  English  Literature, 
will  be  found  of  great  value. 

(American.) — Cyclopaedia  of  American  Literature  : 
embracing  personal  and  critical  Notices  of  Authors, 
and  selections  from  their  writings  ...  By  Evert  A. 
Duyckinck  and  George  L.  Duyckinck.  Edited  to 
date  by  M.  Laird  Simons.  Philadelphia,  1877. 
2  vols.     Imp.  8vo. 

The   Poets  and  Poetry  of    Europe,  with 


Private  Libraries.  119 

Introductions  and  Biographical  Notices,  by  Henry 
Wadsworth  Longfellow.     London,  1855.     Roy.  8vo. 

{Polish.) — Bentkowskiego  (F.).  Historya  Literatury 
Polskiey.    Warszawie,  1814.     2  vols.     8vo. 

{Russian.) — Otto  (Friedrich).  History  of  Russian 
Literature,  with  a  Lexicon  of  Russian  Authors. 
Translated  from  the  German  by  George  Cox.  Oxford, 
1839.     8vo. 

{Spanish.) — Ticknor  (George).  History  of  Spanish 
Literature.     New  York,  1849.     3  vols.     8vo. 

{Classical.) — A  History  of  Latin  Literature  from 
Ennius  to  Boethius.  By  George  Augustus  Simcox, 
M.A.     London,  1883.     2  vols.     8vo. 

A  History  of  Roman  Classical  Literature. 

By  R.  W.  Browne,  M.A.     London,   1884.     8vo. 

A  History  of  Roman  Literature.     By  \V. 

S.  Teuffel,  translated  by  Wilhelm  Wagner,  Ph.D. 
London,  1873.     2  vols.     8vo. 

Bibliographical  Clue  to  Latin   Literature. 

Edited  after  Dr.  E.  HUbner,  with  large  additions  by 
the  Rev.  John  E.  B.  Mayor.     London,  1875.     i2mo. 

Guide  to  the  Choice  of  Classical  Books. 

By  Joseph  B.  Mayor.  Third  edition,  with  Supple- 
mentary List.     London,  1885. 


Manuscripts. — Guide  to  the  Historian,  the  Bio- 
grapher, the  Antiquary,  the  man  of  literary  curiosity, 
and  the  collector  of  autographs,  towards  the  verifica- 
tion of  Manuscripts,   by  reference  to  engraved  fac- 


120         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

similes  of  handwriting.  [By  Dawson  Turner.]  Yar- 
mouth, 1848.  Roy.  8vo.  A  most  valuable  alpha- 
betical Index  of  the  names  of  celebrated  men,  with 
references  to  the  books  where  specimens  of  their 
writing  can  be  found. 

Mathematics.  —  Dictionnaire  des  Mathematiques 
appliques.  .  .  .  Par  H.  Sonnet.  Paris,  1867.  Roy. 
8vo. 

Mechanics. — Knight's  American  Mechanical  Dic- 
tionary ...  By  Edward  H.  Knight.  London  and 
New  York,  1874-77.     3  vols,  royal  Svo. 

Cyclopaedia  of  Useful  Arts,  Mechanical  and 

Chemical,  Manufactures,  Mining  and  Engineering. 
Edited  by  Charles  Tomlinson.  London,  1866. 
3  vols.  roy.  8vo. 

Medical. — The  Cyclopaedia  of  Anatomy  and  Physi- 
ology. Edited  by  Robert  B.  Todd,  M.D.,  F.R.S. 
London,  1835-59.     5  vols,  in  6,  royal  8vo. 

A  Dictionary  of  Practical  Medicine  .  .   . 

By  James  Copland.     London,  1858.     3  vols.  8vo. 

An    Expository    Lexicon    of    the    terms, 

ancient  and  modern,  in  Medical  and  General  Science  ; 
including  a  complete  Medico-Legal  Vocabulary.  .  . 
By  R.  G.  Mayne,  M.D.     London,  i860.     8vo. 

Cooper's   Dictionary  of  Practical   Surgery 

and  Encyclopaedia  of  Surgical  Science.  New  edition 
brought  down  to  the  present  time  by  Samuel  A.  Lane. 
London,  1872.     2  vols,  royal  8vo. 

Medical  Lexicon  :  a  Dictionary  of  Medical 


Private  L  ibraries.  121 

Science  ...  by  Robley  Dunglison,  M.D.,  LL.D. 
A  new  edition  enlarged  and  thoroughly  revised  by 
Richard  J.  Dunglison,  M.D.  Philadelphia,  1874. 
Roy.  8vo. 

Monograms.  —  Dictionnaire  des  Monogrammes, 
marques  figurees,  lettres  initiales,  noms  abreges,  etc., 
avec  lesquels  les  Peintres,  Dessinateurs,  Graveurs  et 
Sculpteurs  ont  designe  leurs  noms.  Par  Francois 
Brulliot.  Nouvelle  edition.  Munich,  1832-34.  3 
parts.     Imp.  8vo. 

Music. — General  History  of  the  Science  and  Practice 
of  Music.  By  Sir  John  Hawkins.  London,  1776. 
5  vols.    4to. 

History  of  Music  from  the  earliest  ages  to 

the  present  period.  By  Charles  Burney.  London, 
1776-89.     4  vols.   4to. 

Biographie    Universelle   des    Musiciens   et 

Bibliographic  generale  de  la  musique.  Par  F.  J. 
Fetis.  Deuxieme  edition.  Paris,  1860-65.  8  vols, 
roy.  8vo. 

Supplement  et  Complement,  publies  sous  la 

direction  de  M.  Arthur  Pougin.  Paris,  1878-80. 
2  vols.    roy.  8vo. 

Dictionary  of  Music  and  Musicians.     Edited 

by  [Sir]  G.  Grove.   London,  1878.    8vo.    In  progress. 

Mythology. — Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Roman  Bio- 
graphy and  Mythology,  edited  by  Dr.  W.  Smith. 
1845-48.     3  vols.  8vo. 

Natural  History. — Dictionary  of  Natural  History 


122         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Terms,  with  their  derivations,  including  the  various 
orders,  genera,  and  species.  By  David  H.  McNicoll, 
M.D.     London,  1863.     Sm.  8vo. 

Natural  History. — See  Botany,  Zoology. 

Painters. — A  General  Dictionary  of  Painters  .  .  . 
By  Matthew  Pilkington,  A.M.  A  new  edition,  cor- 
rected and  revised  by  R.  A.  Davenport.  London, 
1852.     8vo. 

A  Catalague  Raisonne  of  the  Works  of  the 

most  eminent  Dutch,  Flemish,  and  French  Painters, 
...  to  which  is  added  a  Brief  Notice  of  the  Scholars 
and  Imitators  of  the  Great  Masters  of  the  above  schools. 
By  John  Smith.  London,  1829-42.  9  parts.  Roy.  8vo. 

The   Picture  Collector's  Manual,  adapted 

to  the  Professional  Man  and  the  Amateur  ;  being  a 
Dictionary  of  Painters  .  .  .  together  with  an  alpha- 
betical arrangement  of  the  Scholars,  Imitators,  and 
Copyists  of  the  various  masters,  and  a  Classification 
of  Subjects.  By  James  R.  Hobbes.  London,  1849. 
2  vols.  bvo. 

Peerage. —  Courthope's"  Historical  Peerage,"founded 
on  Sir  Nicholas  Harris  Nicolas's  "Synopsis  of  the 
Peerage,"  is  an  indispensable  work,  but  it  only  refers 
to  English  Titles.  Mr.  Solly's  "Index  of  Hereditary 
Titles  of  Honour  "  contains  the  Peerage  and  Baronet- 
age of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland. 

The  Official  Baronage  of  England,  1066  to 

1S85,  by  James  E.  Doyle  (vols.  1-3.  4to.),  has  just 
appeared. 


Private  L ibraries.  123 

Peerage.  — Q{  the  current  peerages,  Burke's,  Dod's, 
Debrett's,  and  Foster's,  all  have  their  points  of  merit. 

Periodicals. — Catalogue  of  Scientific  Serials  of  all 
countries,  including  the  Transactions  of  Learned 
Societies  in  the  Natural,  Physical  and  Mathematical 
Sciences,  1633-1S76.  By  Samuel  H.  Scudder. 
Library  of  Harvard  University,  1879.  8vo. — In  this 
valuable  list  of  periodicals,  which  is  arranged  geo- 
graphically according  to  countries  with  an  alphabet 
under  each  country,  transactions  and  journals  are 
joined  together  in  the  same  arrangement.  At  the 
end  there  are  an  Index  of  Towns,  an  Index  of  Titles, 
and  an  Index  of  Minor  Subjects. 

An   Index   to    Periodical   Literature.     By 

Wm.  Fred.  Poole.  New  York.  Roy.  8vo.  1st  ed. 
1843  ;  2nd  ed.  1S48  ;  3rd  ed.  1882. 

Catalogue  of  Scientific  Papers  (1800-1863). 

Compiled   and  published   by   the   Royal   Society   of 
London.    London,  1867-72.    6  vols.  4to.    (1864-73.) 
Vol.    7,     1877  ;    Vol.    8,     1879.— Vol.     r,    A-Clu 
Vol.  2,  Coa-Gra  ;  Vol.  3,  Gre-Lez  ;  Vol.  4,  Lhe-Poz 
Vol.  5,  Pra-Tiz  ;  Vol.  6,  Tka-Zyi ;  Vol.  7,  A-Hyr 
Vol.  S,  I-Zwi. 

The  celebrated  Dr.  Thomas  Young  published 

in  the  second  volume  of  his  Course  of  Lectures  on 
ATatural  Philosophy  and  the  Mechanical  Arts  (1807)  a 
most  valuable  Catalogue  of  books  and  papers  relating 
to  the  subject  of  his  Lectures,  which  is  classified 
minutely,  and  occupies  514  quarto  pages  in  double 


124        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

columns.  In  Kelland's  new  edition  (1845)  the 
references  are  abridged  and  inserted  after  the  several 
lectures  to  which  they  refer. 

Philology.  —  Max  Miiller's  "Lectures  on  the 
Science  of  Language";  Marsh's  "Lectures"  and 
"Origin  and  History  of  the  English  Language"; 
Abp.  Trench's  "  English,  Past  and  Present  "  ; 
"  Select  Glossary." 

Physics. — Elementary  Treatise  on  Natural  Phi- 
losophy.    By  A.  P.  Deschanel.     8vo. 

Elementary  Treatise  on  Physics.      By  A. 

Ganot,  edited  by  E.  Atkinson.     Sm.  8vo. 

Plate. — Old  English  Plate,  ecclesiastical,  decorative, 
and  domestic,  its  makers  and  marks.  By  Wilfred 
Joseph  Cripps,  M.A.,  F.S.A.  Second  edition. 
London,  1881.     8vo. 

Plays. — See  Drama. 

Pottery. — Marks  and  Monograms  on  Pottery  and 
Porcelain  of  the  Renaissance  and  Modern  periods, 

with  historical  notices  of  each  Manufactory 

By  William  Chaffers.  Fourth  edition.  London,  1874. 
Roy.  8vo. 

Prices. — History  of  Prices  from  1793  to  1856.  By 
Thomas  Tooke  and  William  Newmarch.  London, 
1838-57.     6  vols.     8vo. 

Prints. — An  Introduction  to  the  Study  and  Col- 
lection of-  Ancient  Prints.  By  William  Hughes 
Wiltshire,  M.D.  Edin.  Second  edition,  revised  and 
enlarged.     London,  1877.     2  vols.  8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  125 

Prints. — The  Print  Collector,  an  Introduction  to  the 
Knowledge  necessary  for  forming  a  Collection  of 
Ancient  Prints.  By  J.  Maberly,  .  .  .  Edited  with 
Notes,  an  Account  of  Contemporary  Etching  and 
Etchers,  and  a  Bibliography  of  Engraving.  By 
Robert  Hoe,  jun.     New  York,  1 880.     Sq.  8vo. 

Etching  and  Etchers.    By  P.  G.  Hamerton. 

New  edition.     London,  1876.     8vo. 

Printing. — Typographia  or  the  Printers'  Instructor  : 
including  an  Account  of  the  Origin  of  Printing.  .  .  . 
By  J.  Johnson,  Printer.    London,  1824.   2  vols.    8vo. 

A  Dictionary  of  the  Art  of  Printing.     By 

William  Savage.     London,  1841.     8vo. 

Proverbs. — A  Hand-Book  of  Proverbs,  comprising 
an  entire  republication  of  Ray's  Collection  of  English 
Proverbs  .  .  .  and  a  complete  alphabetical  Index 
...  in  which  are  introduced  large  additions  collected 
by  Henry  G.  Bohn,  1857.     London,  1872. 

A  Polyglot  of  Foreign  Proverbs,  comprising 

French,  Italian,  German,  Dutch,  Spanish,  Portuguese, 
and  Danish,  with  English  translations  and  a  general 
Index.     By  Henry  G.  Bohn.     London,  1867. 

English  Proverbs  and  Proverbial    Phrases 

collected  from  the  most  authentic  sources,  alpha- 
betically arranged  and  annotated.  By  W.  Carew 
Hazlitt.  London,  1869.  8vo.  Second  edition. 
London,  1882.     Sm.  8vo. 

Quotations. — Many  Thoughts  of  Many  Minds  : 
being  a  Treasury  of  References,  consisting  of  Selec- 


126         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

tions  from  the  Writings  of  the  most  celebrated  Authors. 
Compiled  and  analytically  arranged  by  Henry  South- 
gate.  Third  edition.  London,  1862.  8vo.  Second 
Series.     London,  1871.     8vo. 

Quotations. — Noble  Thoughts  in  Noble  Language : 
a  Collection  of  Wise  and  Virtuous  Utterances  in  Prose 
and  Verse,  from  the  writings  of  the  known  good  and 
the  great  unknown.  Edited  by  Henry  Southgate. 
London.     8vo. 

Prose  Quotations  from  Socrates  to  Macaulay, 

with  Indexes.  By  S.  Austin  Allibone.  Philadelphia, 
1876.     Roy.  8vo. 

Poetical    Quotations    from     Chaucer     to 

Tennyson,  with  copious  Indexes.  By  S.  Austin 
Allibone.     Philadelphia,  1875.     Roy.  8vo. 

A  Dictionary  of  Quotations  from  the  English 

Poets.  By  Henry  G.  Bohn.  London,  1867.  Sq.  8vo. 
Second  edition.     London.     Sm.  8vo. 

An  Index  to  Familiar  Quotations,  selected 

principally  from  British  Authors,  with  parallel  passages 
from  various  writers,  ancient  and  modern.  By  J.  C. 
Grocott.     Liverpool,  1863.     Sm.  8vo. 

Familiar  Quotations :  being  an  attempt  to 

trace  to  their  source  passages  and  phrases  in  common 
use.  By  John  Baitlett.  Author's  edition.  London, 
Sm.  8vo. 

Words,  Facts  and  Phrases,  a  Dictionary  of 

Curious,  Quaint,  and  Out-of-the-Way  Matters.  By 
Eliezer  Edwards.     London,  1882.     Sm.  8vo. 


Private  Libraries.  127 

Quotations. — The  Reader's  Handbook  of  Allusions, 
References,  Plots  and  Stories,  with  their  appendices. 
By  the  Rev.  E.  Brewer,  LL.D.  .  .  Third  edition. 
London,  1882.     Sm.  8vo. 

Dictionary  of  Phrase  and  Fable.   .  .  By  the 

Rev.  E.  Cobham  Brewer,  LL.D.  Twelfth  edition. 
London,  no  date. 

A  Dictionary  of  Latin  and  Greek  Quotations, 

Proverbs,  Maxims  and  Mottos,  Classical  and  Mediaeval, 
including  Law  Terms  and  Phrases.  Edited  by  H.  T. 
Riley,  B.A.     London,  1880.     Sm.  8vo. 

Receipts.  — Cooley's  Cyclopaedia  of  Practical  Receipts 
and  Collateral  Information  in  the  Arts,  Manufactures, 
Professions  and  Trades.  .  .  designed  as  a  compre- 
hensive Supplement  to  the  Pharmacopoeia.  .  .  Sixth 
edition,  revised  and  greatly  enlarged  by  Richard  V. 
Tuson.     London,  1880.     2  vols.    8vo. 

Records. — Handbook  of  the  Public  Record  Office. 
By  F.  S.  Thomas,  Secretary  of  the  Public  Record 
Office.     London,  1853.     Roy.  8vo. 

Index  to  the  Printed  Reports  of  Sir  Francis 

Palgrave,  K.H.,  the  Deputy- Keeper  of  the  Public 
Records,  1840-1861.  London,  1865.  By  John 
Edwards  and  Edward  James  Tabrum.  In  one 
alphabet. 

Ritual. — Hierurgia  ;  or,  Transubstantiation,  Invo- 
cation of  Saints,  Relics  and  Purgatory,  besides  those 
other  articles  of  Doctrine  set  forth  in  the  Holy 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  expounded  ;  and  the  use  of  Holy 


128         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Water,  Incense,  and  Images  [etc.]  Illustrated.  By 
D.  Rock,  D.D.    Second  edition.    London,  185 1.    8vo. 

Ritual. — Hierurgia  Anglicana  ;  or,  Documents  and 
Extracts  illustrative  of  the  Ritual  of  the  Church  in 
England  after  the  Reformation.  Edited  by  Members 
of  the  Ecclesiological,  late  Cambridge  Camden 
Society.     London,  1848.     8vo. 

Sports. — An  Encyclopaedia  of  Rural  Sports,  or 
complete  account  (historical,  practical,  and  descriptive) 
of  Hunting,  Shooting,  Fishing,  Racing,  etc.,  etc. 
By  Delabere  P.  Blaine.  A  new  edition.  London, 
1840.     8vo. 

Taxes. — A  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Taxes  in 
England  from  the  earliest  times  to  the  present  day. 
By  Stephen  Do  well.  London,  1876.  8vo.  Vol.  I 
to  the  Civil  War  1642. 

Theology. — See  Ecclesiology. 

Topography.  —  A  Topographical  Dictionary  of 
England.  .  .  By  Samuel  Lewis.  Seventh  edition. 
London,  1849. 

A  Topographical  Dictionary  of  Wales.  .  . 

By  Samuel  Lewis.  Fourth  edition.  London,  1849. 
2  vols.  4to. 

A   Topographical   Dictionary  of   Ireland. 

...  By  Samuel  Lewis.  Second  edition.  London, 
1842.     2  vols.  4to. 

See  Geography. 

Wills. — An  Index  to  Wills  proved  in  the  Court  of 
the  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Oxford,  and  to 


Private  Libraries.  129 

such  of  the  records  and  other  instruments  and  papers 
of  that  Court  as  relate  to  matters  or  causes  testa- 
mentary. By  the  Rev.  John  Griffiths,  M.A.,  Keeper 
of  the  Archives.  Oxford,  1862.  Roy.  8vo.  In  one 
alphabet,  with  a  chronological  list  appended. 

Zoology.  —  Nomenclator  Zoologicus,  continens 
Nomina  Systematica  Generum  Animalium  tam  viven- 
tium  quam  fossilium,  secundum  ordinem  alphabeticum 
disposita,  adjectis  auctoribus,  libris  in  quibus  reperi- 
untur,  anno  editionis,  etymologia  et  familiis,  ad  quas 
pertinent,  in  singulis  classibus.  Auctore  L.  Agassiz. 
.  .  .   Soliduri,  1842-46.     4to. 

■  Nomenclator  Zoologicus,  continens  Nomina 

Systematica  generum  animalium  tam  viventium  quam 
fossilium,  secundum  ordinem  alphabeticum  disposita 
sub  auspicis  et  sumptibus  C.  R.  Societatis  Zoologico- 
Botanicse  conscriptus  a  Comite  Augusto  de  Marschall 
[1846-1868].     Vindobonae,  1873.     8vo. 

2.  Country. 
A  library  in  a  large  country  house  should 
contain  a  representative  collection  of  English 
literature,  and  also  a  selection  of  books  of 
reference  from  the  previous  list.  Standard 
Authors,  in  their  best  editions,  County 
Histories,  Books  of  Travel,  Books  on  Art, 
and   a   representative    collection    of    good 

9 


1 30         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

novels,  will  of  course  find  a  place  upon 
the  shelves.  A  book  such  as  Stevens's  My 
English  Library  will  be  a  good  guide  to  the 
foundation  of  the  library,  but  each  collector 
will  have  his  special  tastes,  and  he  will  need 
guidance  from  the  more  particular  biblio- 
graphies which  are  ready  to  his  hand,  and 
a  note  of  which  will  be  found  in  Chapter  V. 
Room  will  also  be  found  for  sets-  of 
Magazines,  such  as  the  Gentleman's,  the 
Edinburgh,  and  the  Quarterly,  and  for  the 
Transactions  of  such  Societies  as  the  owner 
may  be  member  of.  The  issues  of  Publish- 
ing Societies  form  quite  a  library  of  them- 
selves, and  an  account  of  these  will  be 
found  in  Chapter  VII. 

We  have  seen  on  a  previous  page  how 
Napoleon  wished  to  form  a  convenient 
travelling  library,  in  which  everything 
necessary  could  be  presented  in  a  com- 
paratively small  number  of  handy  volumes. 
Few  men  are  like  Napoleon  in  the  wish 
to  carry  such  a  library  about  with  them ; 
but  where  space  is  scarce  there  are  many 
who  find  it  necessary  to  exercise   a   wise 


Private  Libraries.  131 

spirit  of  selection.  This,  however,  each 
man  must  do  for  himself,  as  tastes  differ  so 
widely. 

Auguste  Comte  succeeded  in  selecting 
a  library  in  which  all  that  it  is  necessary 
for  a  Positivist  to  know  is  included  in  150 
volumes,  but  this  result  is  obtained  by 
putting  two  or  more  books  together  to  form 
one  volume. 

Positivist   Library   for  the   19TH   Century 

150  Volumes. 

I.  Poetry.     (Thirty  Volumes.) 

The  Iliad  and  the  Odyssey,  in  I  vol.  without  notes. 

^Eschylus,  the  King  CEdipus  of  Sophocles,  and  Aristo- 
phanes, in  1  vol.  without  notes. 

Pindar  and  Theocritus,  with  Daphnis  and  Chloe,  in 
I  vol.  without  notes. 

Plautus  and  Terence,  in  I  vol.  without  notes. 

Virgil  complete,  Selections  from  Horace,  and  Lucan, 
in  1  vol.  without  notes. 

Ovid,  Tibullus,  Juvenal,  in  I  vol.  without  notes. 

Fabliaux   du    Moyen  Age,   recueillies    par  Legrand 
D'Aussy. 

Dante,  Ariosto,   Tasso,    and  Petrarch,   in  I  vol.   in 
Italian. 

Select  Plays  of  Metastasio  and  Alfieri,  also  in  Italian. 


132         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

I  Promessi  Sposi,  by  Manzoni,  in  1  vol.  in  Italian. 
Don  Quixote,  and  the  Exemplary  Novels  of  Cervantes, 

in  Spanish,  in  I  vol. 
Select  Spanish  Dramas,  a  collection  edited  by  Don 

Jose  Segundo  Florez,  in  1  vol.  in  Spanish. 
The  Romancero  Espagnol,  a  selection,  with  the  poem 

of  the  Cid,  1  vol.  in  Spanish. 
Select  Plays  of  P.  Corneille. 
Moliere,  complete. 

Select  Plays  of  Racine  and  Voltaire,  in  1  vol. 
La  Fontaine's  Fables,  with  some  from  Lamotte  and 

Florian. 
Gil  Bias,  by  Lesage. 

The  Princess  of  Cleves,  Paul  and  Virginia,  and  the 
Last  of  the  Abencerrages,  to  be  collected  in  1  vol. 
Les  Martyres,  par  Chateaubriand. 
Select  Plays  of  Shakespeare. 
Paradise  Lost  and  Lyrical  Poems  of  Milton. 
Robinson  Crusoe  and  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield,  in  1  vol. 
Tom  Jones,  by  Fielding,  in  English,  or  translated  by 

Cheron. 

The  seven  masterpieces  of  Walter   Scott— Ivanhoe, 

""Waverley,    the   Fair    Maid   of    Perth,    Quentin 

Durward,  Woodstock  (Les  Puritains),  the  Heart 

of  Midlothian,  the  Antiquary. 

Select  Works  of  Byron,  Don  Juan  in  particular  to  be 

suppressed. 
Select  Works  of  Goethe. 
The  Arabian  Nights. 


Private  L  ibraries.  133 

II.  Science.     (Thirty  Volumes.) 
Arithmetic  of  Condorcet,  Algebra,  and  Geometry  of 

Clairaut,    the   Trigonometry  of  Lacroix  or  Le- 

gendre,  to  form  I  vol. 
Analytical  Geometry  of  Auguste  Comte,  preceded  by 

the  Geometry  of  Descartes. 
Statics,  by  Poinsot,  with  all  his  Memoirs  on  Mechanics. 
Course   of  Analysis  given   by  Navier  at  the   Ecole 

Polytechnique,  preceded  by  the  Reflections   on 

the  Infinitesimal  Calculus  by  Carnot. 
Course  of  Mechanics  given  by  Navier  at  the  Ecole 

Polytechnique,  followed  by  the  Essay  of  Carnot 

on  Equilibrum  and  Motion. 
Theory  of  Functions,  by  Lagrange. 
Popular  Astronomy  of  Auguste  Comte,  followed  by 

the  Plurality  of  Worlds  of  Fontenelle. 
Mechanical  Physics  of  Fischer,  translated  and  anno- 
tated by  Biot. 
Alphabetical    Manual   of    Practical    Philosophy,    by 

John  Carr. 
The  Chemistry  of  Lavoisier. 
Chemical  Statics,  by  Berthollet. 
Elements  of  Chemistry,  by  James  Graham, 
Manual  of  Anatomy,  by  Meckel. 
General  Anatomy  of  Bichat,  preceded  by  his  Treatise 

on  Life  and  Death. 
The  first  volume  of  Blainville  on  the  Organization  of 

Animals. 
Physiology  of  Richerand,  with  notes  by  Berard. 


134         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Systematic  Essay  on  Biology,  by  Segond,  and  his 
Treatise  on  General  Anatomy. 

Nouveaux  Elements  de  la  Science  de  l'Homme,  par 
Barthez  (2nd  edition,  1806). 

La  Philosophic  Zoologique,  par  Lamarck. 

Dumeril's  Natural  History. 

The  Treatise  of  Guglielmini  on  the  Nature  of  Rivers 
(in  Italian). 

Discourses  on  the  Nature  of  Animals,  by  Buffon. 

The  Art  of  Prolonging  Human  Life,  by  Hufeland, 
preceded  by  Hippocrates  on  Air,  Water,  and 
Situation,  and  followed  by  Cornaro's  book  on 
a  Sober  and  Temperate  Life,  to  form  1  vol. 

L'Histoire  des  Phlegmasies  Chroniques,  par  Broussais, 
preceded  by  his  Propositions  de  Medecine,  and 
the  Aphorisms  of  Hippocrates  (in  Latin),  without 
commentary. 

Les  Eloges  des  Savans,  par  Fontenelle  et  Condorcet. 

III.  History.     (Sixty  Volumes.) 

L'Abrege  de  Geographie  Universelle,  par  Malte  Brun. 
Geographical  Dictionary  of  Rienzi. 
Cook's  Voyages,  and  those  of  Chardin. 
History  of  the  French  Revolution,  by  Mignet. 
Manual  of  Modern  History,  by  Heeren. 
Le  Siecle  de  Louis  XIV.,  par  Voltaire. 
Memoirs  of  Madame  de  Motteville. 
The  Political  Testament  of  Richelieu,  and  the  Life  of 
Cromwell,  to  form  1  vol. 


Private  L  ibraries.  135 

History  of  the  Civil  Wars  of  France,  by  Davila  (in 

Ilalian). 
Memoirs  of  Benvenuto  Cellini  (in  Italian). 
Memoirs  of  Commines. 

L'Abrege  de  l'Histoire  de  France,  par  Bossuet. 
The  Revolutions  of  Italy,  by  Denina. 
The  History  of  Spain,  by  Ascargorta. 
History  of  Charles  V.,  by  Robertson. 
History  of  England,  by  Hume. 
Europe  in  the  Middle  Ages,  by  Hallam. 
Ecclesiastical  History,  by  Fleury. 
Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  by  Gibbon. 
Manual  of  Ancient  History,  by  Heeren. 
Tacitus  (Complete),  the  Translation  of  Dureau  de  la 

Malle. 
Herodotus  and  Thucydides,  in  I  vol. 
Plutarch's  Lives,  translation  of  Dacier. 
Caesar's  Commentaries,   and  Arrian's  Alexander,   in 

1  vol. 
Voyage  of  Anacharsis,  by  Barthelemy. 
History  of  Art  among  the  Ancients,  by  Winckelmann. 
Treatise   on    Painting,     by   Leonardo  da  Vinci    (in 

Italian). 
Memoirs  on  Music,  by  Gretry. 

IV.  Synthesis.     (Thirty  Volumes.) 

Aristotle's  Politics  and  Ethics,  in  I  vol. 
The  Bible. 
The  Koran. 


136         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

The  City  of  God,  by  St.  Augustine. 

The  Confessions  of  St.  Augustine,  followed  by  St. 

Bernard  on  the  Love  of  God. 
The  Imitation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  original,  and  the 

translation  into  verse,  by  Corneille. 
The    Catechism    of    Montpellier,    preceded    by   the 

Exposition  of  Catholic  Doctrine,  by  Bossuet,  and 

followed  by  St.  Augustine's  Commentary  on  the 

Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
L'Histoire  des  Variations  Protestantes,  par  Bossuet. 
Discourse  on  Method,  by  Descartes,  preceded  by  the 

Novum  Organum  of  Bacon,  and  followed  by  the 

Interpretation  of  Nature,  by  Diderot. 
Selected    Thoughts    of    Cicero,    Epictetus,    Marcus 

Aurelius,  Pascal,  and  Vauvenargues,  followed  by 

Conseils  d'une  Mere,  by  Madame  de  Lambert, 

and  Considerations  sur  les  Mceurs,  par  Duclos. 
Discourse  on  Universal  History,  by  Bossuet,  followed 

by  the  Esquisse  Historique,  by  Condorcet. 
Treatise  on  the  Pope,  by  De  Maistre,  preceded  by  the 

Politique  Sacree,  by  Bousset. 
Hume's  Philosophical  Essays,  preceded  by  the  two 

Dissertations  on   the  Deaf,   and   the   Blind,   by 

Diderot,  and  followed  by  Adam  Smith's  Essay 

on  the  History  of  Astronomy. 
Theory  of  the  Beautiful,  by  Barthez,  preceded  by  the 

Essay  on  the  Beautiful,  by  Diderot. 
Les  Rapports  du  Physique  et  du  Moral  de  l'Homme, 

par  Cabanis. 


Private  Libraries.  137 

Treatise  on  the  Functions  of  the  Brain,  by  Gall, 
preceded  by  Letters  on  Animals,  by  Georges 
Leroy. 

Le  Traite  sur  1' Irritation  et  la  Folie,  par  Broussais 
(first  edition). 

The  Positive  Philosophy  of  Auguste  Comte  (con- 
densed by  Miss  Martineau),  his  Positive  Politics, 
his  Positivist  Catechism,  and  his  Subjective 
Synthesis. 

Paris,  3  Dante  66  (Tuesday,  i8th  July,  1854). 
Auguste  Comte, 

(10  rue  Monsieur  le  Prince). 

This  is  an  interesting  list  as  having  been 
compiled  with  special  thought  by  a  cele- 
brated man,  but  in  many  of  its  details  it 
is  little  likely  to  find  acceptance  with  the 
general  reader.  It  seems  rather  odd  to  an 
Englishman  to  find  the  Princess  of  Cleves 
included,  while  Shakespeare  is  only  to  be 
found  in  a  selection  of  his  plays.  It  is  not 
Comte's  fault  that  science  has  not  stood 
still  since  1854,  and  that  his  selection  of 
books  is  rather  out  of  date. 

A  list  of  a  hundred  good  novels  is  likely 
to  be  useful  to  many,  but  few  lists  would  be 


138         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

open  to  more  criticism,  for  readers  differ 
more  as  to  what  constitutes  a  good  novel 
than  upon  any  other  branch  of  literature. 
The  following  list  was  contributed  by  Mr. 
F.  B.  Perkins  to  the  Library  Journal  (vol.  i. 
p.  166).  The  titles  are  very  short,  and  they 
are  put  down  in  no  particular  order.  Most 
of  us  will  miss  some  favourite  book,  but 
two  people,  Mr.  Perkins  says,  have  agreed 
on  this  list  within  four  or  five  items.  He 
says  he  was  tempted  to  add  a  few  alterna- 
tives, as  Amadis  de  Gaul,  Morte  d' Arthur, 
Paul  and  Virginia,  Frankenstein,  Rasselas, 
etc. 

Don  Quixote.  Minister's  Wooing. 

Gil  Bias.  Undine. 

Pilgrim's  Progress.  Sintram. 

Tale  of  a  Tub.  Thisdolf. 

Gulliver.  Peter  Schlemihl. 

Vicar  of  Wakefield.  Sense  and  Sensibility. 

Robinson  Crusoe.  Pride  and  Prejudice. 

Arabian  Nights.  Anastasius. 

Decameron.  Amber  Witch. 

Wilhelm  Meister.  Mary  Powell. 

Vathek.  Household  of  Sir  T.  More. 

Corinne.  Cruise  of  the  Midge. 


Private  Libraries. 


139 


Guy  IVfannering. 

Antiquary. 

Bride  of  Lammermoor. 

Legend  of  Montrose. 

Rob  Roy. 

Woodstock. 

Ivanhoe. 

Talisman. 

Fortunes  of  Nigel. 

Old  Mortality. 

Quentin  Durward. 

Heart  of  Midlothian. 

Kenilworth. 

Fair  Maid  of  Perth. 

Vanity  Fair. 

Pendennis. 

Newcomes. 

Esmond. 

Adam  Bede. 

Mill  on  the  Floss. 

Romola. 

Middlemarch. 

Pickwick. 

Chuzzlewit. 

Nickleby. 

Copperfield. 

Tale  of  Two  Cities. 

Dombey. 

Oliver  Twist. 


Tom  Cringle's  Lodge. 

Japhet  in  Search  of  a  Father. 

Peter  Simple. 

Midshipman  Easy. 

Scarlet  Letter. 

House  with  theSevenGables 

Wandering  Jew. 

Mysteries  of  Paris. 

Humphry  Clinker. 

Eugenie  Grandet. 

Knickerbocker's  New  York. 

Charles  O'Malley. 

Harry  Lorrequer. 

Handy  Andy. 

Elsie  Venner. 

Challenge  of  Barletta. 

Betrothed  (Manzoni's). 

Jane  Eyre. 

Counterparts. 

Charles  Anchester. 

Tom  Brown's  Schooldays. 

Tom  Brown  at  Oxford. 

Lady  Lee's  Widowhood. 

Horseshoe  Robinson. 

Pdot. 

Spy. 

Last  of  the  Mohicans. 

My  Novel. 

On  the  Heights. 


140         How  to  Form  a  Library. 


Bleak  House. 
Tom  Jones. 
Three  Guardsmen. 
Monte  Cristo. 
Les  Miserables. 
Notre  Dame. 
Consuelo. 
Fadette  (Fanchon). 
Uncle  Tom's  Cabin. 


Woman  in  White. 

Love  me  little  love  me  lorn 

Two  Years  Ago. 

Yeast. 

Coningsby. 

Young  Duke. 

Hyperion. 

Kavanagh. 

Bachelor  of  the  Albany. 


CHAPTER    V. 

General  Bibliographies. 

GOOD  collection  of  bibliographies 
is  indispensable  for  a  public  library, 
and  will  also  be  of  great  use  in  a 
private  library  when  its  possessor  is  a  true 
lover  of  books.  One  of  the  most  valuable 
catalogues  of  this  class  of  books  is  the 
"  Hand- List  of  Bibliographies,  Classified 
Catalogues,  and  Indexes  placed  in  the 
Reading  Room  of  the  British  Museum  for 
Reference"  (1881).  It  is  not  intended  to 
give  in  this  chapter  anything  like  a  complete 
account  of  these  books,  as  a  separate  volume 
would  be  required  to  do  justice  to  them. 
Here  it  will  be  sufficient  to  indicate  some  of 
the  foremost  works  in  the  class.  The  cata- 
logues  of  some  of  our  chief  libraries  are 


142         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

amongst  the  most  valuable  of  bibliographies 
for  reference.  The  Catalogue  of  the  Library 
of  the  London  Institution  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest ever  produced.1  Unfortunately  the 
cost  of  production  was  too  great  for  the 
funds  of  the  Institution,  and  the  elaborate 
Catalogue  of  Tracts  was  discontinued  after 
the  letter  F. 

The  London  Library  being  a  specially 
well-selected  one,  the  catalogue  (which  is  a 
good  example  of  a  short-titled  catalogue)  is 
particularly  useful  for  ready  reference.2 

The  Royal  Institution  Library  is  very  rich 

1  A  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the  London  Insti- 
tution, systematically  classed.  [London]  1835.  5  vols, 
royal  8vo.  Vol.  1  (1835),  General  Library;  vol.  2 
(1840),  Tracts  and  Pamphlets  arranged  in  alphabetical 
order  as  far  as  the  letter  F.  (never  completed)  ;  vol.  3 
(1843),  General  Library,  Additions ;  vol.  4  (1852), 
Additions  from  1843  to  1852. 

2  Catalogue  of  the  London  Library,  12,  St.  James's 
Square,  S.W.  With  Preface,  Laws  and  Regulations, 
List  of  Members  and  Classified  Index  of  Subjects. 
By  Robert  Harrison.  Fourth  edition.  Sold  at  the 
Library,  1875,  royal  8vo.  pp.  1022. 

Supplemental  Volume,   1875-1880,  sold  at 

the  Library,  1881,  royal  8vo.  pp.  219. 


General  Bibliographies.  143 

in  British  Topography,  and  the  catalogue 
forms  a  convenient  handbook.1 

The  Catalogue  of  the  Patent  Office  Library 
is  by  no  means  a  model,  but  the  second 
volume  forms  a  good  book  of  reference.2 
Many  other  catalogues  might  be  mentioned, 
but  these  will  be  sufficient  for  our  present 
purpose.  There  is  great  want  of  a  good 
Handbook  of  Literature,  with  the  prices  of 
the  different  books.  Until  this  want  is 
supplied  good  booksellers'  catalogues  will 
be  found  the  most  trustworthy  guides.  Pre- 
eminent among  these  are  the  catalogues  of 

1  A  New  Classified  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of-  the 
Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain  with  Indexes  of 
Authors  and  Subjects,  and  a  list  of  Historical 
Pamphlets,  Chronologically  arranged.  By  Benjamin 
Vincent.  London.  Sold  at  the  Royal  Institution. 
1857,  8vo.  pp.  XVH.-928. 

Vol.  II.,  including  the  Additions  from  1857 

to  1882.     London.     Sold  at  the  Royal  Institution. 
1882.     8vo.  pp.  xviL-388. 

2  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the  Patent  Office, 
arranged  alphabetically.  In  two  volumes  :  vol.  1, 
Authors  ;  vol.  2,  Subjects.  London.  Published  and 
Sold  at  the  Commissioners  of  Patents  Sale  Depart- 
ment.    1881-83.     Royal  8vo. 


144         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Mr.  Quaritch,  and  the  "  Catalogue  of  up- 
wards of  fifty  thousand  volumes  of  ancient 
and  modern  books,"  published  by  Messrs. 
Willis  and  Sotheran  in  1862.  Mr.  Quaritch's 
catalogues  are  classified  with  an  index  of 
subjects  and  authors.1  A  previous  General 
Catalogue  was  issued  in  1874,  and  a  Supple- 
ment 1875-77  (pp.  iv.  1672).  Now  Mr. 
Quaritch  is  issuing  in  sections  a  new  Cata- 
logue on  a  still  larger  scale,  which  is  of  the 
greatest  value. 

For  the  study  of  early  printed  books, 
Hain,2  Panzer,3  and  Maittaire's4  books  are 
indispensable. 

1  A  General  Catalogue  of  Books,  offered  for  sale  to 
the  public  at  the  affixed  prices.  By  Bernard  Quaritch 
London,  15,  Piccadilly,  1880.     8vo.  pp.  X.-2395. 

2  145 7-1 500.  Hain  (L.).  Repertorium  Biblio- 
graphicum  in  quo  libri  omnes  ab  arte  typographica 
inventa  usque  ad  annum  MD  typis  expressi,  ordine 
alphabetico  vel  simpliciter  enumerantur  vel  adcuratius 
recensentur.     Stuttgartise,  1826-38.     2  vols.     8vo. 

3  1457-1536.  Panzer  (G.  W.).  Annales  Typo- 
graphic! ab  artis  invents  origine  ad  annum  1536. 
Norimbergse,  1 793-1803.     11  vols.     4to. 

4  1457-1664.  Maittaire  (M.).  Annales  Typo- 
graphic! ab  artis  inventse  origine  ad  annum  1664,  cum 


General  Bibliographies.  145 

For  general  literature  Brunet's  Manual ' 
stands  pre-eminent  in  its  popularity.  It  has 
held  its  own  since  18 10,  when  it  was  first 
published  in  three  volumes,  demy  octavo. 
Graesse's  Tr6sor2  is  less  known  out  of 
Germany,  but  it  also  is  a  work  of  very  great 
value.  Ebert's  work3  is  somewhat  out  of 
date  now,  but  it  still  has  its  use.  Watt's 
Bibliotheca4  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
bibliographies   ever    published,    chiefly   on 

Supplemento  Michaelis  Denisii.  Hag.  Com.et  Viennae, 
1719-89.     7  vols  in  11  parts. 

1  Brunet  (J.  C).  Manuel  du  Libraire,  cinquieme 
edition.  Paris,  1860-65.  °  v°ls-  8vo.  Supplement 
par  P.  Deschamps  et  G.  Brunet.  Paris,  1878-80, 
2  vols.     Royal  8vo. 

2  Gkaesse  (J.  G.  T.).  Tresor  de  Livres  rares  et 
precieux  ou  Nouveau  Dictionnaire  Bibliographique. 
Dresde,  1859-69.     7  vols.     410. 

3  Ebert  (F.  A.).  Allgemeines  bibliographisches 
Lexikon.     Leipzig,  1821-30.     2  vols.    4to. 

A  General  Bibliographical  Dictionary,  from 

the  German  [by  A.  Brown].  Oxford,  1837.  4  vols.   8vo. 

4  Watt  (R.).  Bibliotheca  Britannica :  a  General 
Index  to  British  and  Foreign  Literature.  In  two 
parts,  Authors  and  Subjects.  Edinburgh,  1824. 
4  vols.     4to. 

10 


146         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

account  of  the  index  of  subjects  which 
gives  information  that  cannot  be  found  else- 
where. The  titles  were  largely  taken  from 
second-hand  sources,  and  are  in  many 
instances  marred  by  misprints.  Every  one 
who  uses  it  must  wish  that  it  was  brought 
down  to  date,  but  it  is  scarcely  likely  that 
any  one  will  sacrifice  a  life  to  such  labour  as 
would  be  necessary.  Moreover,  the  popular 
feeling  is  somewhat  adverse  to  universal 
bibliographies,  and  it  is  thought  that  the 
literature  of  his  own  country  is  sufficiently 
large  a  subject  for  the  bibliographer  to 
devote  his  time  to. 

English  literature  has  not  been  neglected 
by  English  bibliographers,  although  a  full 
bibliography  of  our  authors  is  still  a  crying 
want.  Complete  lists  of  the  works  of  some 
of  our  greatest  authors  have  still  to  be  made, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  all  those  who  have 
the  cause  of  bibliography  at  heart  will  join 
to  remedy  the  great  evil.  It  would  be  quite 
possible  to  compile  a  really  national  work  by 
a  system  of  co-operation  such  as  was  found 
workable   in   the   case  of  the  Philological 


General  Bibliographies.  147 

Society's  Dictionary  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage. Sub-editors  of  the  different  letters 
might  be  appointed,  and  to  them  all  titles 
could  be  sent.  When  the  question  of  printing 
arose,  it  would  be  well  to  commence  with 
the  chief  authors.  These  bibliographies 
might  be  circulated,  by  which  means  many 
additions  would  be  made  to  them,  and  then 
they  could  be  incorporated  in  the  general 
alphabet.  In  such  a  bibliography  books 
in  manuscript  ought  to  be  included,  as 
well  as  printed  books.  Although  there 
is  little  doubt  that  many  books  still  remain 
unregistered,  we  are  well  supplied  with 
catalogues  of  books  made  for  trade  purposes. 
Maunsell l  was  the  first  to  publish  such  a 
list,  and  in  1631  was  published  a  catalogue 
of  books  issued  between   1626  and   1631.2 

1  Before  1595.  Maunsell  (A.).  Catalogue  of 
English  printed  Books.  London,  1595.  410.  Part  I, 
Divinitie.     Part  2,  Sciences  Mathematical!. 

2  1626-1631.  A  Catalogue  of  certaine  Bookes 
which  have  been  published  and  (by  authoritie)  printed 
in  England  both  in  Latine  and  English,  since  the 
year  1626  until  November,  1631.    London,  1 631.    4to. 


148         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

William  London1  published  his  Catalogue 
in  1658,  and  Clavell's  his  in  1696.2  Bent's 
Catalogue,  published  in  1786,  went  back 
to  1700,3  and  this  was  continued  annually 
as  the  London  Catalogue.    The  British  and 

1  Before  1658.  London  (William).  A  Catalogue 
of  the  most  vendible  Books  in  England,  orderly  and 
alphabetically  digested.  With  a  Supplement.  1658- 
60.     4to. 

2  1666-1695.  Clavell  (R.).  General  Catalogue 
of  Books  printed  in  England  since  the  dreadful  Fire 
of  London,  1666.  Fourth  edition.  London,  1696. 
Folio. 

3  1 700- 1 786.  A  General  Catalogue  of  Books  in 
all  Languages,  Arts,  and  Sciences,  printed  in  Great 
Britain  and  published  in  London.  London  (W.  Bent), 
1786.     8vo. 

181 1.  London  Catalogue  of  Books.  London  (W. 
Bent),  181 1.     8vo. 

1810-1831.  London  Catalogue  of  Books.  London 
(W.  Bent),  1831.     8vo. 

1816-1851.  London  Catalogue  of  Books.  London 
(Hodgson),  1851.  8vo.  Classified  Index.  London 
(Hodgson),  1853. 

1831-1855.  London  Catalogue  of  Books.  London 
(Hodgson),  1855. 


General  Bibliographies.  149 

English  Catalogues1  followed,  and  the  latter 
is  also  published  annually.8 

For  early  printed  books,  Ames  and 
Herbert's  great  work3  is  of  much  value,  but 
information  respecting  our  old  literature 
has  increased  so  much  of  late  that  a  new 
history  of  typographical  antiquities  is  sadly 
needed.  Mr.  Blades  has  done  the  necessary 
work  for  Caxton,  but  the  first  English 
printer's  successors  require  similar  treat- 
ment. 

William   Thomas   Lowndes,   the   son   of 

1  * 837-52'  The  British  Catalogue.  Sampson 
Low,  1853.     And  Index.     2  vols.     8vo. 

2  1835-1880.  The  English  Catalogue  of  Books. 
Sampson  Low.  And  Indexes.  8vo.  Continued 
annually. 

3  1471-1600.  Ames  (Joseph).  Typographical 
Antiquities  :  being  an  Historical  Account  of  Printing 
in  England,  with  some  Memoirs  of  our  Antient 
Printers,  and  a  Register  of  the  Books  printed  by  them 
.  .  .  with  an  Appendix  concerning  Printing  in  Scotland, 
Ireland  to  the  same  time.  London,  1749.  4to.  1  vol. 
Considerably  augmented  by  W.  Herbert.  London, 
1785-90.  3  vols.  4to.  Enlarged  by  T.  F.  Dibdin. 
London,  18 10- 19.     4  vols.     4to. 


150        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

an  eminent  bookseller  and  publisher,  and 
himself  a  bookseller,  published  in  1834 
his  Bibliographer's  Manual,1  which  has  re- 
mained the  great  authority  for  English 
Literature.  It  had  become  very  scarce 
when  Henry  Bohn,  in  1857,  brought  out 
a  new  edition  with  additions  in  a  series 
of  handy  volumes,  which  is  an  indis- 
pensable book  of  reference,  although  it  is 
far  from  being  the  complete  work  that  is 
required. 

Allibone's  Dictionary"2,  contains  much  that 
is  omitted  in  Lowndes's  Manual,  but  it 
is  more  literary  than  bibliographical  in 
its  scope.  The  well-selected  criticisms 
appended  to  the  titles  of  the  several 
books  are  of  considerable  interest  and 
value  to  the   reader.     Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt's 

1  Lowndes  (W.  T.).  The  Bibliographer's  Manual 
of  English  Literature.  London,  1834.  4  vols.  8vo. 
New  Edition,  by  H.  G.  Bohn.  London,  1857-64. 
6  vols.     Sm.  8vo. 

2  Allibone  (S.  A.).  Dictionary  of  English  Litera- 
ture, and  British  and  American  Authors.  Philadelphia, 
1859-71.     3  vols.     Royal  8vo. 


General  Bibliographies.  151 

Handbooks 1  are  exceedingly  valuable  as 
containing  information  respecting  a  class 
of  books  which  has  been  much  neglected 
in  bibliographical  works.  The  compiler 
has  been  indefatigable  for  some  years  past 
in  registering  the  titles  of  rare  books  as 
they  occurred  at  public  sales. 

Mr.  Collier's  account  of  rare  books,3 
founded  on  his  Bridgewater  Catalogue 
(1837),  is  of  great  use  for  information  re- 
specting out-of-the-way  literature,  as  also 
is  Mr.  Corser's  descriptive  Catalogue  of  Old 
English  Poetry.3 

1  Hazlitt  (W.  Carew).  Handbook  to  the 
Popular,  Poetical,  and  Dramatic  Literature  of  Great 
Britain,  from  the  Invention  of  Printing  to  the  Restora- 
tion.    London  (J.  Russell  Smith),  1867.     8vo. 

Collections  and  Notes,  1867-1876.    London 

(Reeves  &  Turner),  1876.     8vo. 

Second  Series  of  Bibliographical  Collections 

and  Notes  on  Early  English  Literature,  1474-1700. 
London  (Bernard  Quaritch),  1882. 

2  Collier  (J.  P.).  A  Bibliographical  and  Critical 
Account  of  the  rarest  books  in  the  English  language, 
alphabetically  arranged.    London,  1865.    2  vols.    8vo. 

3  Corser  (T.).     Collectanea  Anglo-Poetica ;   or  a 


152         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Accounts  of  books  published  in  Gaelic,1 
in  Welsh,2  and  in  Irish,3  have  been  published. 
The  works  of  American  authors  are  included 
in  Allibone's  Dictionary,  referred  to  under 
English  literature,  but  special  books  have 
also  been  prepared,  such  as  Triibner's  Guide,4 
Stevens's  American  Books   in   the   British 

bibliographical  and  descriptive  Catalogue  of  a  portion 
of  a  Collection  of  Early  English  Poetry.  Manchester 
(Chetham  Society),  1860-79.     9  vols.     Sm.  4to. 

1  Gaelic.  Bibliotheca  Scoto-Celtica ;  or,  an  account 
of  all  the  books  which  have  been  published  in  the 
Gaelic  Language.  ByJohnReid.  Glasgow,  1832.  8vo. 

2  Welsh.  Cambrian  Bibliography  :  containing  an 
account  of  the  books  printed  in  the  Welsh  Language  ; 
or  relating  to  Wales,  from  the  year  1 546  to  the  end  of  the 
1 8th  century.   By  W.  Rowlands.  Llanidloes,  1869.  8vo. 

3  Irish.  Transactions  of  the  Iberno-Celtic  Society 
for  1820.  Containing  a  chronological  account  of 
nearly  four  hundred  Irish  writers  .  .  .  carried  down 
to  the  year  1750,  with  a  descriptive  Catalogue  of  such 
of  their  works  as  are  still  extant.  By  E.  O'Reilly. 
Dublin,  1820.     4to. 

4  Triibner's  Bibliographical  Guide  to  American 
Literature  :  a  classed  list  of  books  published  in  the 
United  States  of  America  during  the  last  forty  years. 
London,  1859.     8vo. 


General  'Bibliograph  ies.  153 

Museum,1  and  Leypoldt's  great  book,  the 
American  Catalogue.2  Catalogues  of  Books 
on  America,  such  as  those  of  Obadiah  Rich, 
have  also  been  compiled,  but  these  are  more 
properly  special  bibliographies.  France  has 
always  stood  in  a  foremost  position  in 
respect  to  bibliography,  and  she  alone  has 
a  national  work  on  her  literature,  which 
stands  in  the  very  first  rank — this  is  due  to 
the  enthusiastic  bibliographer  Querard.3 
A    better   model    as    to    what    a    national 

1  Catalogue  of  the  American  Books  in  the  Library 
of  the  British  Museum.  Christmas,  1856.  By  H. 
Stevens.     London,  1866.     8vo. 

2  The  American  Catalogue  under  the  direction  of 
F.  Leypoldt.  New  York,  1 880.  2  vols.  4to.  Suppl. 
1876-84.  Compiled  under  the  editorial  direction 
of  R.  R.  Bowker  by  Miss  Appleton.  New  York, 
1885. 

3  Querard  (J.  M.).  La  France  Litteraire,  ou 
Dictionnaire  Bibliographique  des  Savants  qui  ont  ecrit 
en  francais,  plus  particulierement  pendant  les  XVIIIe 
et  XIXe  siecles.     Paris,  1827-64.     12  vols.     8vo. 

Litterature  Francaise  contemporaine  (1826- 

49).  Continuation  de  la  France  Litteraire.  Paris, 
1842-57.     6  vols.     8vo. 


154        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

bibliography  should  be  could  not  well  be 
found.  The  catalogue  of  current  literature, 
which  bears  the  name  of  0.  Lorenz,  is 
also  an  excellent  work.1 

German  literature  has  been,  and  is,  well 
registered.  Heyse,2  Maltzahn,3  Heinsius,* 
and   Kayser,5   have   all   produced   valuable 

1  Lorenz  (O.).  Catalogue  de  la  Librairie  Francaise 
1840-1865.  4  vols.  1866-1875.  2  vols.  8vo.  The 
Catalogue  of  Books  from  1876  to  1885  is  in  preparation. 

Tables  des  Matieres,    1840-1875.      Paris, 

1879-80.     2  vols.     8vo. 

2  [Heyse  (C.  W.).]  Bucherschatz  der  deutschen 
National-Litteratur  des  XVI  und  XVII  Jahrhunderts. 
Systematisch  geordnetes  Verzeichniss  einer  reichhal- 
tigen  Sammlung  deutschen  Biichen.   Berlin,  1854.  8vo. 

3  Maltzahn  (W.  von).  Deutschen  Bucherschatz 
des  sechszehnten,  siebenzehnten  und  achtzehnten  bis 
urn  die  Mitte  des  neunzehnten  Jahrhunderts.  Jena, 
1875.    8vo. 

4  Heinsius  (W.).  Allgemeines  Bucher  Lexicon, 
1700-1815.  Leipzig,  1812-56.  14  vols.  410.  7th 
Supplement. 

5  Kayser  (C.  G.).  Index  Librorum.  Vollstandiges 
Bucher- Lexicon,  enthaltend  alle  von  1750  bis  zu  Ende 
des  Jahres  (-1876)  in  Deutschland  .  .  .  gedruckten 
Bucher.     Leipzig,  1834-77.     4to- 


General  Bibliographies.  155 

works.  Heinsius  published  his  original 
Lexicon  in  181 2,  and  Kayser  his  in  1834, 
and  Supplements  to  both  of  these  have  been 
published  about  every  ten  years.  A  more 
condensed  work  was  commenced  by  A. 
Kirchhoff  in  1856,  containing  the  catalogue 
of  works  published  from  1851  to  1855;  a 
second  volume  of  the  next  five  years  ap- 
peared in  1 86 1,  and  since  Kirchhoff's  death 
Hinrichs  has  published  a  volume  every  five 
years.  The  Leipzig  Book-fairs  have  had 
their  catalogues  ever  since  1594,  and  the 
half-yearly  volumes  now  bearing  the  name 
of  Hinrichs,1  which  have  been  published 
regularly  since  1798,  and  to  which  the  Fair 
catalogues  succumbed  in  1855,  may  be 
considered  as  their  legitimate  successors. 
The  Literature  of  Holland  is  well  recorded 

1  Hinrichs  (J.  C).  Verzeichniss  der  Biicher  .  .  . 
welche  in  Deutschland  vom  Januar,  1877,  bis  zum 
(December,  1885)  neu  erschienen  oder  neu  aufgelegt 
wordensind.    Leipzig,  1876-80.    i2mo.    In  progress. 

Repertorium   iiber   die    nach   den    .     .    . 

Verzeichnissen,  1871-75,  erschienenen  Biicher.  Von 
E.  Baldamus.    (1876-80.)    Leipzig,  1877-82.     i2mo. 


156        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

by  Campbell 1  and  Abkoude,2  and  for  Belgium 
there  is  the  Bibliographie  de  Belgique?  Italy 
can  boast  of  a  Gamba4  and  a  Bertocci,5  and 

1  Campbell  (M.F.A.G.).  Annales  de  la  Typo- 
graphic Neerlandaise  au  XVe  Siecle.  La  Haye,  1874. 
8vo. 

ier  Supplement.    La  Haye,  1878.     8vo. 

2  Abkoude  (J.  van).  Naamregister  van  de  be- 
kendste  .  .  .  Nederduitsche  Boeken  .  .  .  1600  tot  1761. 
Nu  overzien  en  tot  het  jaar  1787  vermeerderd  door 
R.  Arrenberg.     Rotterdam,  1788.     4to. 

Alphabetische  Naamlijst  van  Boeken  1790 

tot  1832,  Amsterdam,  1835.  4to.  1833-1875.  Amster- 
dam, 1858-78.     3  vols.     4to. 

Wetenschappelijk  Register  behoorende  bij 

Brinkman's  Alphabetische  Naamlijsten  van  Boeken 
.  .  .  1850-75  .  .  .  bewerkt  door  R.  van  der  Meulen. 
Amsterdam,  1878.     4to. 

3  Bibliographie  de  Belgique.  Journal  Officiel  de 
la  Librairie.    Annee  I.     Bruxelles,  1876.     8vo. 

4  Gamba  (B.).  Serie  dei  testi  di  Lingua  Italiana 
e  di  altri  opere  importanti  nella  Italiana  letteratura 
del  Secolo  XV  al  XIX.  Quarta  edizione.  Venezia, 
1839.     8vo. 

5  Bertocci  (D.  G.).  Repertorio  bibliogiWico  delle 
opere  stampate  in  Italia  nel  Secolo  XIX.  \ Vol.  I. 
Roma,  1876.     8vo. 


General  Bibliographies.  157 

a    public   office   publishes   the  Bibliografia 
Italiana} 

Spain  is  fortunate  in  possessing  a  splendid 
piece  of  bibliography  in  the  great  works  of 
Antonio.2  Some  years  ago,  when  I  was 
occupied  in  cataloguing  one  of  the  chief 
collections  of  Spanish  books  in  this  country, 
I  was  in  the  daily  habit  of  consulting  these 
Bibliothecas,  and  while  comparing  the  books 
themselves  with  the  printed  titles,  I  seldom 
found  a  mistake.  Hidalgo's3  work  and  the 
Boletin4   show  that  at    the    present    time 

1  Bibliografia  Italiana:  Giornale  compilato  sui  docu- 
ment! communicati  dal  Ministero  dell'  Istruzione  Pub- 
blica.  Anno  1-14.  1867-80.  Firenze,  1868-81.  8vo. 
In  progress. 

2  Antonio  (N.).  Bibliotheca  Hispana  Vetus  sive 
Hispani  Scriptores  ...  ad  annum  Christi  1500 
floruerunt.     Matriti,  1788.     2  vols.     Folia. 

Bibliotheca  Hispana  Nova  sive  Hispanorum 

Scriptorum  qui  ab  anno  1500  ad  1684  floruere  notitia. 
Matriti,  1 783-1 788.     2  vols.     Folio. 

3  Hidalgo  (D. ).  Diccionario  general  de  Biblio- 
grafia Espafiola.     Madrid,  1862-79.     6  vols.  8vo. 

4  Boletin  de  la  Libreria.  Aiio  1.  1873.  Madrid, 
1874.     8vo.     In  progress. 


158         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

bibliography  is  not  neglected  in  that 
country. 

The  works  of  Barbosa  Machado x  and 
Silva2  show  that  Portugal  is  not  behind 
the  sister  kingdom  in  the  love  for  biblio- 
graphy. 

Bibliographies  of  other  countries  might 
be  mentioned  here,  but  space  will  not 
permit.  There  is  one  branch  of  general 
bibliography  to  which  special  attention 
has  been  paid  for  a  long  period  of  years. 
O.  Placcius  published  his  Theatrum  Anony- 
morum  et  Pseudonymorum  at  Hamburgh  in 
1674  (2nd  ed.  1708).  Villani  continued  the 
record  of  pseudonymous  literature  by  pub- 
lishing at  Parma,  in  1689,  a  small  volume 
entitled  La  Visiera  alzaia.  J.  C.  Mylius 
published  his  Bibliotheca  Anonymorum  et 
Pseudonymorum  at  Hamburgh  in  1740. 

1  Barbosa  Machado  (D.).  Bibliotheca  Lusitana, 
historica,  critica  e  cronologica.  Na  qual  se  compve- 
hende  a  noticia  dos  authores  Portuguezes,  e  das  obras 
que  compuserao.     Lisboa,  1741-59.     ^ols.     Folio. 

2  SlLVA  (J.  F.  da).  Diccionario ^Pibliographico 
Portuguez.     Lisboa,  1858-70.     Tom.   1-9.     8vo. 


General  Bibliographies.  159 

Barbier's  great  work  on  the  Anonymous 
in  Fr.ench  Literature  was  first  published  in 
1806-8,  the  second  edition  appeared  in  1822- 
27,  and  the  third  in  1872-78,  as  a  continua- 
tion to  the  second  edition  of  Querard's 
Les  Supercheries  Litteraires.  Querard's  work 
is  more  curious  than  useful,  because  the 
author  has  entered  into  minute  questions 
of  authorship  which  do  not  really  belong 
to  the  domain  of  bibliography.  Manne's 
volume  (1834)  is  not  of  much  value. 
Lancetti  published  an  octavo  volume  on 
Pseudonyms  in  Italian  (1836),  but  Barbier's 
work  was  not  worthily  imitated  in  any  other 
country  until  Mr.  Paterson  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  very  valuable  work  of  the 
late  Mr.  Halkett.1 

1  A  Dictionary  of  the  Anonymous  and  Pseudonym- 
ous Literature  of  Great  Britain,  including  the  works 
of  Foreigners  written  in  or  translated  into  the  English 
Language.  By  the  late  Samuel  Halkett,  and  the  late 
Rev.  John  Laing.  Edinburgh  (William  Paterson), 
1882-85.     Vols.  I,  2,  3  (to  Tis). 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Special  Bibliographies. 

JIBLIOGRAPHIES  of  special  sub- 
jects are  more  useful  than  any 
other  books  in  the  formation  of  a 
library.  The  articles  in  the  new  edition  of 
the  Encyclopedia  Brilannica  will  be  found 
valuable  for  this  purpose,  but  those  who 
wish  for  fuller  information  must  refer  to 
Dr.  Julius  Petzholdt's  elaborate  Bibliotheca 
Bibliographic  a  (Leipzig,  1866),  or  to  the 
Bibliographic  des  Bibliographies  of  M.  Leon 
Valine  (Paris,  1885).  The  late  Mr.  Cornelius 
Walford  contributed  a  paper  "  On  Special 
Collections  of  Books  'J  to  the  Transactions 
of  the  Conference  j|f  Librarians,  1 877- 
(pp.  45-49),  in  which  he  specially  referred 
to  the  subject  of  Insurance. 


Special  Bibliographies.  1 6 1 

In  the  present  chapter  I  propose  to  refer 
to  some  of  the  most  useful  bibliographies, 
but  to  save  space  the  full  titles  will  not  be 
given,  and  this  is  the  less  necessary  as 
they  can  mostly  be  found  in  the  above 
books  or  in  that  useful  little  volume  we  owe 
to  the  authorities  of  the  British  Museum 
— "  Hand-list  of  Bibliographies,  Classified 
Catalogues,  and  Indexes  placed  in  the 
Reading-room,"  1881. 

Agriculture. — Weston's  Tracts  on  Practical  Agricul- 
ture and  Gardening  (1773),  contains  a  Chronological 
Catalogue  of  English  Authors,  and  Donaldson's 
Agricultural  Biography  (1854)  brings  the  subject  down 
to  a  later  date.  Victor  Donatien  de  Musset-Pathay 
published  a  B  ibliographie  Agronomique  in  1810,  and 
Loudon's  Encyclopedia  of  Agriculture  contains  the 
Literature  and  Bibliography  of  Agriculture,  British, 
French,  German,  and  American. 

Ana. — In  Peignot's  Repertoire  de  Bibliographies 
Speciales  (1810)  will  be  found  at  pp.  211-268,  a  list  of 
books  of  Ana,  and  Gabriel  Antoine  Joseph  Hecart 
published  at  Valenciennes,  1821,  under  the  name 
of  J.  G.  Phitakaer,  a  bibliography  entitled  "  Ana- 
grapheana."  Namur's  Biblioqraphie  des  Ouvrages 
publies  sous  le  nom  d' 'Ana  was  published  at  Bruxelles 
in    1839.      The   late   Sir  William   Stirling  Maxwell 

II 


1 62         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

made  a  collection  of  books  of  Ana,  a  privately  printed 
catalogue  of  which  he  issued  in  i860. 

Angling. — Sir  Henry  Ellis  printed  privately  in  181  r 
a  small  octavo  pamphlet  of  21  pages  which  he  entitled 
"A  Catalogue  of  Books  on  Angling,  with  some  brief 
notices  of  several  of  their  authors,"  which  was  an 
extract  from  the  British  Bibliographer.  In  1836, 
Pickering  printed  a  Bibliotheca  Piscatoria,  which  was 
formed  upon  Sir  Henry  Ellis's  corrected  copy  of  the 
above  Catalogue.  Mr.  J.  Russell  Smith  published  in 
1856  "A  Bibliographical  Catalogue  of  English  writers 
on  Angling  and  Ichthyology,"  which  was  soon  super- 
ceded by  the  following  work  by  Mr.  T.  Westwood. 
"  A  new  Bibliotheca  Piscatoria,  or  a  general  Catalogue 
of  Angling  and  Fishing  Literature."  •  London,  1861 
(another  edition,  edited  conjointly  with  T.  Satchell, 
1883).  Mr.  R.  Blakey  published  in  1855,  "Angling 
Literature  of  all  Nations."  London,  1855.  i2mo. 
Mr.  J.  J.  Manley,  M.A.,  published  in  1883, 
"  Literature  of  Sea  and  River  Fishing."  as  one  of  the 
Handbooks  of  the  International  Fisheries  Exhibition. 

Architecture. — Lacroix  (E.).  Bibliographies  des 
Ingenieurs,  des  Architectes,  des  Chefs  d'U.^ies 
industrielles,  des  Eleves  des  Ecoles  polytechniques 
et  professionnelles  et  des  Agriculteurs.  Premiere 
( — Troisieme)  Serie.     Paris,  1864-67.     410. 

Assurance  {Life). — Lewis  Pocock  published  "A 
Chronological  List  of  Books  and  Single  Papers " 
relating  to  this  subject  in  1836,  a  second  edition  of 
which  was  published  in  1842. 


Special  Bibliographies.  163 

Astronomy. — Lalande  published  his  valuable  "Bib- 
liographic Astronomique "  at  Paris,  1803.  Otto 
Struve's  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the  Pulkova 
Observatory,  published  at  St.  Petersburg  in  i860,  is 
highly  esteemed  by  astronomers.  The  first  part  of 
the  Catalogue  of  the  United  States  Naval  Observatory 
at  Washington,  by  Prof.  E.  S.  Holden,  is  devoted  to 
Astronomical  Bibliography. 

Houzeau  (J.    C.)  and  Lancaster  (A.). 

Bibliographic  generate  de  l'Astronomie.  Bruxelles, 
1880.     8vo.     In  progress. 

Mr.  E.  B.  Knobel,  Secretary  of  the  Royal 

Astronomical  Society,  printed  in  the  Monthly  Notices 
of  that  Society  for  November,  1876  (pp.  365-392), 
a  very  useful  short  Reference  Catalogue  of  Astro- 
nomical Papers  and  Researches,  referring  more 
especially  to  (1)  Double  Stars;  (2)  Variable  Stars; 
(3)  Red  Stars  ;  (4)  Nebulae  and  Clusters  ;  (5)  Proper 
Motions  of  Stars  ;  (6)  Parallax  and  Distance  of  Stars  ; 
(7)  Star  Spectra.  Mr.  E.  S.  Holden's  "Index  Cata- 
logue of  Books  and  Memoirs  relating  to  Nebulae  and 
Clusters  of  Stars"  was  printed  in  the  Smithsonian 
Miscellaneous  Collections  in  1877. 

Bible. — The  famous  Le  Long  published  at  Paris, 
in  1713,  his  "Discours  historiques  sur  les  principales 
editions  des  Bibles  polyglottes,"  and  in  1723,  in  two 
volumes,  folio,  his  great  work  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra." 
This  was  edited  and  continued  by  A.  G.  Masch,  and 
published  at  Halae  Magd.  in  five  volumes,  quarto. 


164         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

1774-97.  T.  Llewelyn  published  in  1768  "  Historical 
Account  of  the  British  or  Welsh  Versions  and  editions 
of  the  Bible."  A  privately  printed  "List  of  various 
editionsof  the  Bible"was  issued  in  1778,  which  has  been 
attributed  to  Dr.  Ducarel.  John  Lewis's  "Complete 
History  of  the  several  Translations  of  the  Holy  Bible 
and  New  Testament  into  English "  was  published 
in  1818,  and  Dr.  Henry  Cotton's  "List  of  Editions" 
(Oxford,  1821,  2nd  edition,  1852)  was  intended  as 
an  Appendix  to  that  work.  Orme's  Bibliotheca 
Biblica  was  published  at  Edinburgh  in  1824,  and 
Hartwell  Home's  Manual  of  Biblical  Bibliography 
at  London  in  1 839.  Bagster's  Bible  in  Every  Land 
(1848),  although  not  strictly  bibliographical,  must 
be  mentioned  here,  because  it  gives  under  each 
language  a  notice  of  all  visions  published  in  that 
language.  Lowndes'  British  librarian  or  Book  Col- 
lector's Guide.  Class  I.  Religion  and  its  History. 
London,  1839.  8vo.  Parts  I,  2,  3  are  devoted  to 
Holy  Scriptures,  Biblical  Commentaries,  Biblical 
Disquisitions,  Scripture  Biography,  Scripture  Geo- 
graphy, etc.  The  work  itself  was  left  incomplete. 
Dr.  H.  Cotton  published  at  Oxford,  in  1855, 
a  work  entitled  "  Rhemes  and  Doway.  An 
Attempt  to  show  what  has  been  done  by  Roman 
Catholics  for  the  diffusion  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in 
English."  In  1859  J.  G.  Shea  published  at  New 
York  a  "Bibliographical  Account  of  Catholic  Bibles, 
Testaments,  and  other  portions  of  Scripture  translated 


Special  Bibliographies.  165 

from  the  *Latin  Vulgate,  and  printed  in  the  United 
States;"  and  in  1861  E.  B.  O'Callaghan  published  at 
Albany  a  **  List  of  editions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
and  parts  thereof,  printed  in  America  previous  to 
i860."  E.  Reuss  published  at  Brunswick,  in  1872, 
a  Bibliography  of  the  Greek  New  Testament.  Dr. 
Isaac  Hall  printed  a  Critical  Bibliography  of 
American  Greek  Testaments  at  Philadelphia  in 
1883.  Mr.  Henry  Stevens,  the  eminent  biblio- 
grapher, is  a  special  authority  on  Bibles,  and  his 
work,  entitled  "The  Bibles  in  the  Caxton  Exhibition, 
1877,  or  a  bibliographical  description  of  nearly  one 
thousand  representative  Bibles  in  various  languages, 
chronologically  arranged  "  (London,  1878),  contains 
some  of  the  information  he  possesses. 

Biography. — Oettinger's  Bibliographie  Biographique 
Universelle  (1854)  is  a  most  useful  work,  although  it 
is  now  unfortunately  somewhat  out  of  date. 

Book-keeping. — B.  F.  Foster's  Origin  and  Progress 
of  Book-keeping  (1852)  contains  an  account  of  books 
published  on  this  subject  from  1543  to  1852. 

Botany. —  Pritzel's  Thesaurus  Literature  Botanica 
(185 1,  another  edition  1872-77)  is  the  Bibliography  of 
the  subject,  and  this  work  is  supplemented  by  Mr. 
Daydon  Jackson's  Index  of  Botany,  published  by  the 
Index  Society.  Trimen's  Botanical  Bibliography  of 
the  British  counties,  London,  1874.  8vo. 

Chemistry. — R.  Ruprecht,  Bibliotheca  Chemica  et 
Pharmaceutica,  1858-70.     Gottingen,  1872. 


1 66         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Classics. — Dr.  Edward  Harwood  published  his 
"View  of  the  various  editions  of  the  Greek  and 
Roman  Classics"  in  1790.  He  was  followed  in  1802 
by  Thomas  Frognall  Dibdin,  whose  work  was  much 
enlarged,  and  reappeared  in  several  editions ;  the  fourth 
and  best  being  published  in  1827  (2  vols.  8vo.).  J. 
W.  Moss  published  his  "  Manual  of  Classical  Biblio- 
graphy" in  1825,  2  vols.  8vo.  Henry  G.  Bonn's 
General  Catalogue,  Part  II.  Section  I.  1850,  contains 
a  valuable  list  of  Greek  and  Latin  Classics. 
Engelmann's  Bibliotheca  Scriptorum  Classicorum  et 
Grascorum  et  Latinorum  (1858)  is  an  elaborate  work 
on  the  subject,  and  Professor  John  E.  B.  Mayor's 
translation  and  adaptation  of  Dr.  Hiibner's  Biblio- 
graphical Clue  to  Latin  Literature  will  be  found  to 
be  a  very  useful  handbook. 

Commerce. — See  Trade. 

Dialects. — Mr.  J.  Russell  Smith  published,  in  1839, 
a  useful  "  Bibliographical  List  of  the  Works  that 
have  been  published  towards  illustrating  the  Pro- 
vincial Dialects  of  England"  (24  pages).  When  the 
Rev.  Professor  Skeat  started  the  English  Dialect 
Society,  he  at  once  laid  the  foundation  of  an  extensive 
Bibliographical  List  to  include  MSS.  as  well  as  printed 
works.  This  Bibliography  is  being  published  by  the 
Society  in  parts. 

Dictionaries. — William  Marsden  printed  privately, 
in  1796,  a  valuable  "Catalogue  of  Dictionaries, 
Vocabularies,  Grammars,  and  Alphabets." 


Special  Bibliographies.  i6y 

Dictionaries. — Triibner's  Catalogue  of  Dictionaries 
and  Grammars  (1872,  second  edition  1882)  is  a  very 
useful  work.  H.  B.  Wheatley's  account  of  English 
Dictionaries  was  published  in  the  Transactions  of  the 
Philological  Society  for  1865. 

Drama. — A  notice  of  some  books  in  the  English 
Drama  will  be  found  in  Chapter  IV.  The  Bibliolhique 
Dramatique  de  Mons.  de  Soleinne  (1843-44,  5  vols.), 
with  its  continuation  to  1861,  is  a  splendid  Catalogue, 
in  which  the  books  are  fully  described,  with  valuable 
notes  and  preface. 

Earthquakes.  — Mr.  Robert  Mallet's  Bibliography  of 
Earthquakes  will  be  found  in  the  British  Association 
Report  for  1858,  and  Mons.  Alexis  Perrey's  Biblio- 
graphic Seismique  in  the  Dijon  Memoires  for  1855, 
1856,  and  1861. 

Electricity. — Sir  Francis  Ronalds'  Catalogue  of 
Books  and  Papers  relating  to  Electricity,  Magnetism, 
and  the  Electric  Telegraph  (1880)  contains  a  large 
number  of  titles.  O.  Salle's  Bibliography  of  Electricity 
and  Magnetism,  i860  to  1883,  was  published  in 
1884. 

Entomology.  —  Dr.  Hagen's  Bibliotheca  Entomo- 
logica  (Leipzig,  1862-63)  is  a  carefully  compiled  and 
useful  book. 

Epigrams. — There  is  a  list  of  books  connected  with 
Epigrammatic  Literature  appended  to  The  Epigram- 
matists, by  the  Rev.  Philip  Dodd.  8vo.  London, 
1870. 


1 68         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Fine  Art. — The  First  Proofs  of  the  Universal  Cata- 
logue of  Books  in  Art,  compiled  for  the  use  of  the 
National  Art  Library  and  the  Schools  of  Art  in  the 
United  Kingdom.  London,  1870.  2  vols.  Sm.  4to. 
Supplement.     London,  1 877. 

Essai    d'une    Bibliographie    de    l'Histoire 

speciale  de  la  Peinture  et  de  la  Gravure  en  Hollande 
et  en  Belgique  (1500-1875),  par  J.  F.  van  Someren, 
Amsterdam,  1882.     8vo. 

Freemasonry. — Gowans  (W.).  Catalogue  of  Books 
on  Freemasonry  and  kindred  subjects.  New  York, 
1858.     8vo. 

Hemsworth  (H.  W.).   Catalogue  of  Books 

in  the  Library  at  Freemasons'  Hall,  London.  Privately 
printed. 

There  is  a  list  of  books  on  Freemasonry  in  Petz- 
holdt's  Bibliotheca  Bibliographica,  pp.  468-474. 
Mr.  Folkard  printed  privately  a  Catalogue  of  Works 
on  Freemasonry  in  the  Wigan  Free  Library  in 
1882,  and  in  the  Annals  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Iowa,  Vol.  IX.  Part  I.  (1883)  is  a  Catalogue  of  Works 
on  this  subject  in  the  Library  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Iowa. 

Future  Life. — Catalogue  of  Works  relating  to  the 
Nature,  Origin,  and  Destiny  of  the  Soul,  by  Ezra 
Abbot.  Appended  to  W.  R.  Alger's  Critical  History 
of  the  Doctrine  of  a  Future  Life.  Philadelphia,  1864. 
8vo.     Reprinted,  New  York,  1871. 

Geography. — See  Voyages  and  Travels. 


Special  Bibliographies.  169 

Health.  —  Catalogue  of  the  International  Health 
Exhibition  Library.  Division  I.  Health.  Division 
II.  Education.     London,  1884.     8vo. 

Heraldry. — Thomas  Moule's  valuable  Bibliolheca 
Heraldica  Magncs  Britannia  was  published  in  1822. 
There  is  a  "  List  of  the  principal  English  and 
Foreign  Text-Books  on  Heraldry "  at  the  end  of 
The  Handbook  of  Heraldry,  by  J.  E.  Cussans, 
London,  1869. 

History  {General).  —  Brunet  (J.  C).  Table 
Methodique  en  forme  de  Catalogue  raisonne,  Histoire. 
Paris,  1865.     8vo. 

Oettinger  (E.  M.).    Historisches  Archiv. 

Archives  historiques,  contenant  une  classification  de 
17,000  ouvrages  pour  servir  a  l'etude  de  l'histoire 
de  tous  les  siecles  et  de  toutes  les  nations.  Carlsruhe, 
1841.     4to. 

[Great  Britain  and  Ireland}) — Bishop  Nicholson's 
English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  Historical  Libraries,  1776, 
will  still  be  found  useful.  Mr.  Mullinger's  portion 
of  the  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  English  History 
(1881)  gives  the  latest  information  on  the  subject.  Sir 
Duffus  Hardy's  "Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Materials 
relating  to  the  History  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
to  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII."  is  an  in- 
valuable book,  but  is  unfortunately  incomplete. 

(France.) — Lelong  (J.).  Bibliotheque  Historique 
(1768-78,  5  vols,  folio).  "  Les  Sources  de  l'Histoire 
de  France,"  by  A.  Franklin,  was  published  in  1877. 


170        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

History  {Germany.) — Bibliographical  Essay  on  the 
Scriptores  Rerum  Germanicarum,  by  A.  Asher,  was 
published  in  1843. 

{Holland.) — Nijhoff.  Bibliotheca  Historico-Neer- 
landica.     La  Haye,  1 87 1. 

{Italy.) — Lichtenthal  (P.).  Manuale  Biblio- 
grafico  del  Viaggiatore  in  Italia.  Milano,  1844.  A 
Catalogue  of  Sir  Richard  Colt  Hoare's  Collection  of 
Books  relating  to  the  History  and  Topography  of 
Italy  was  printed  in  1812.  The  Collection  was  pre- 
sented to  the  British  Museum  by  Hoare  in  1825. 

{Portugal.) — Figaniere.  Bibliographia  Historica 
Portugueza.     Lisboa,  1850. 

(Spain.) — Munoz  y  Romero.  Diccionario  biblio- 
grafico-historico  .  .  .  de  Espana.     Madrid,  1858. 

Language. — See  Dictionaries,  Philology. 

Law. — Mr.  Stephen  R.  Griswold  contributed  an 
article  on  Law  Libraries  to  the  U.S.  Report  on 
Libraries  (pp.  161-170).  He  writes,  "Law  books 
may  be  classified  generally  as  follows  :  Reports, 
Treatises,  Statute  Law.  The  practice  of  reporting 
the  decisions  of  the  Judges  began  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  I.,  and  from  that  time  we  have  a  series  of 
judicial  reports  of  those  decisions.  In  the  time  of 
Lord  Bacon,  these  reports  extended  to  fifty  or  sixty 
volumes.  During  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
that  have  passed  since  then,  nothing  has  been  done 
by  way  of  revision  or  expurgation  ;  but  these  publica- 
tions have  been  constantly  increasing,  so  that  at  the 


Special  Bibliographies.  171 

close  'of  the  year  1874  the  published  volumes  of 
reports  were  as  follows  :  English,  1350  volumes  ; 
Irish,  175  volumes  ;  Scotch,  225  volumes  ;  Canadian, 
135  volumes  ;  American,  2400  volumes.  With 
respect  to  treatises  (including  law  periodicals  and 
digests),  and  without  including  more  than  one  edition 
of  the  same  work,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  fair  collection 
would  embrace  at  least  2000  volumes.  The  statute 
law  of  the  United  States,  if  confined  to  the  general  or 
revised  statutes  and  codes,  may  be  brought  within  100 
volumes.  If,  however,  the  sessional  acts  be  included, 
the  collection  would  amount  to  over  1500  volumes.  It 
is  thus  seen  that  a  fairly  complete  law  library  would 
embrace  more  than  7000  volumes,  which  could  not 
be  placed  upon  its  shelves  for  less  than  $50,000." 

Law. — There  is  a  useful  list  of  legal  bibliographies 
in  the  "  Hand-list  of  Bibliographies  in  the  Reading- 
room  of  the  British  Museum"  (pp.  40-44).  Clarke's 
Bibliotheca  Legtim,  which  was  compiled  by  Hartwell 
Home  (1819),  is  a  valuable  work.  Marvin's  Legal 
Bibliography,  which  was  published  at  Philadelphia  in 
1847,  contains  800  pages.  The  Catalogue  of  the  Law 
Library  in  the  New  York  State  Library  (1856),  forms 
a  useful  guide  to  the  subject,  and  Herbert  G.  Sweet's 
"  Complete  Catalogue  of  Modern  Law  Books  "  is  one 
of  the  latest  catalogues  of  authority. 

Mathematics. — A  really  good  bibliography  of  Mathe- 
matics is  still  wanting.  The  following  books,  however, 
all  from  Germany,  are  useful. 


172         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Mathematics. — Murhard  (F.  W.  A.)-  Bibliotheca 
Mathematica.     Lipsiae,  1797-1804.     4  vols. 

Rogg(J.).   Handbuch  der  Mathematischen 

Literatur.     Tubingen,  1830. 

Sohncke  (L.  A.).  Bibliotheca  Mathe- 
matica.    1830-54.    Leipsic,   1854. 

Erlecke  (A.).    Bibliotheca  Mathematica. 

Halle-a.-S.,  1873. 

Professor  De  Morgan's  Arithmetical  Books 

(1847)  is  a  model  of  what  a  good  bibliography  ought 
to  be. 

Medical. — Dr.  Billings  contributed  a  chapter  on 
"Medical  Libraries  in  the  United  States"  to  the 
U.S.  Report  on  Public  Libraries  (pp.  1 71- 182),  in 
which  he  wrote — "  The  record  of  the  researches,  ex- 
periences, and  speculations  relating  to  Medical  Science 
during  the  last  four  hundred  years  is  contained  in 
between  two  and  three  hundred  thousand  volumes  and 
pamphlets  ;  and  while  the  immense  majority  of  these 
have  little  or  nothing  of  what  we  call '  practical  value,' 
yet  there  is  no  one  of  them  which  would  not  be  called 
for  by  some  inquirer  if  he  knew  of  its  existence." 
The  writer  added  a  list  of  works  of  reference  which 
should  be  in  every  Medical  Library. 

There  have  been  a  specially  large  number  of 
Medical  Bibliographies,  from  Haller's  works  down- 
wards. James  Atkinson's  Medical  Bibliography 
(1834,  A  and  B  only),  is  an  amusing  book,  but  of  little 
or  no  utility.    The  most  useful  books  are  Dr.  Billings's 


Special  Bibliographies.  173 

Index  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the  Surgeon- 
General's  Office  (Washington,  1880)  and  the  Catalogue 
of  the  Library  of  the  Royal  Medical  and  Chirurgical 
Society  (3  vols.  1879),  by  B.  R.  Wheatley.  Neale's 
Medical  Digest  (1877)  forms  a  convenient  guide  to 
the  medical  periodicals.  The  two  great  French 
dictionaries — Raige-Delorme  and  A.  Dechambre, 
Dictionnaire  Encyclopedique  des  Sciences  Medicales 
(4  series,  commenced  in  1854,  and  still  in  progress)  ; 
Jaccoud,  Nouveau  Dictionnaire  de  Medecine  et  de 
Chirurgie  Pratiques  (1864,  and  still  in  progress) — 
contain  very  valuable  references  to  the  literature  of 
the  various  subjects.  Of  special  subjects  may  be 
mentioned  H.  Haeser's  Bibliotheca  Epidemiographica 
(1843),  John  S.  Billings's  Bibliography  of  Cholera 
in  the  Report  of  the  Cholera  Epidemic  of  1873  in  the 
United  States  (1875,  pp.  707-1025),  Beer's  Bibliotheca 
Ophthalmica  (1799),  Dr.  E.  J.  Waring's  Bibliotheca 
Therapeutica  (1878-79,  2  vols.  8vo.),  and  Biblio- 
graphy of  Embryology,  in  Balfour's  Embryology,  vol.  ii. 

Meteorology. — A  full  bibliography  of  books  and 
papers  upon  Meteorology  is  being  prepared  at  the 
United  States  Signal  Office,  and  it  is  reported  that 
48,000  titles  are  now  in  the  office.  There  have  been 
several  articles  on  this  subject  in  Symons's  Meteoro- 
logical Magazine,  the  last  being  in  the  number  for 
December,  1885. 

Mineralogy. — Dana  (J.  D.).  Bibliography  of 
Mineralogy.    188 1.    8vo. 


174         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Mining. — Wigan  Free  Public  Library  Index  Cata- 
logue of  Books  and  Papers  relating  to  Mining, 
Metallurgy,  and  Manufactures.  By  Henry  Tennyson 
Folkard,  Librarian.     Southport,  1 880.     Roy.  8vo. 

Motion  {Perpetual). — Perpetuum  Mobile;  or,  search 
for  Self-Motive  Power  during  tbe  17th,  18th,  and  19th 
centuries,  illustrated  from  various  authentic  sources 
in  papers,  essays,  letters,  paragraphs,  and  numerous 
Patent  Specifications,  with  an  Introductory  Essay. 
By  Henry  Dircks,  C.E.  London,  1861.  Sm.  8vo. 
Second  Series.     London,  1870.     Sm.  8vo. 

Music. — Engel  (C).  The  Literature  of  National 
Music.     London,  1879.     8vo. 

Catalogue   of  the   Library  of  the  Sacred 

Harmonic  Society.  A  new  edition  [by  W.  H.  Husk]. 
London,  1872.     8vo. 

Rimbault  (F.).   Bibliotheca  Madrigaliana, 

a  Bibliographical  Account  of  the  Musical  and  Poetical 
Works  published  in  England  during  the  16th  and 
17th  centuries,  under  the  titles  of  Madrigals,  Ballets, 
Ayres,  Canzonets,  etc.     London,  1847.     8vo. 

There  are  bibliographies  of  the  subject  in  F.  L. 
Ritter's  History  of  Music,  London,  1876,  and  F. 
Clement,  Histoire  generate  de  la  Musique  Religieuse. 
Paris,  1 86 1. 

Natural  History. — Dryander's  Catalogue  of  Sir 
Joseph  Banks's  Library,  now  in  the  British  Museum, 
is  the  most  famous  bibliography  of  this  subject, 
although  made  so  many  years  ago.     It  consists  of 


Special  Bibliographies.  175 

5  vols.  8vo.  (1798-1800).  Vol.  I,  General  Writers  ; 
Vol.  2,  Zoology  ;  Vol.  3,  Botany;  Vol.  4,  Mineralogy  ; 
Vol.  5»  Supplement. 

Natural  History.— Engelmann  (W.).  Bibliotheca 
Historico-Naturalis.     Leipzig,  1846. 

Zuckold  (E.  A.).  Bibliotheca  Historico- 
Naturalis,  Physico-Chemica  et  Mathematica.  Got- 
tingen,  1852. 

See  Zoology. 

Philology. — Marsden  (W. ).  Bibliotheca  Marsdenia, 
Philologica  et  Orientalis.     London,  1827.     4to. 

Engelmann  (W.).  Bibliotheca  Philo- 
logica.    Leipzig,  1853. 

See  Dictionaries. 

Political  Economy. — McCulloch  (J.  R.).  The 
Literature  of  Political  Economy.  London,  1845. — 
This  is  a  very  valuable  work  up  to  the  date  of 
publication,  but  a  good  bibliography  of  the  subject 
is  still  a  desideratum.  The  late  Professor  Stanley 
Jevons  proposed  to  draw  up  a  Handy  Book  of  the 
Literature  for  the  Index  Society,  but,  to  the  great 
loss  of  bibliography,  was  prevented  by  other  work 
from  undertaking  it.  He  contributed  a  list  of 
Selected  Books  in  Political  Economy  to  the  Monthly 
Notes  of  the  Library  Association  (Vol.  3,  No.  7). 

Poor. — A  Catalogue  of  Publications  in  the  English 
Language  on  subjects  relative  to  the  Poor  will  be 
found  in  Eden's  Stale  of  the  Poor,  vol.  iii.  pp. 
ccclxvii — ccclxxxvi. 


176        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Printing. — Bigmore  (E.  C),  and  Wyman  (C. 
W.  H.).  A  Bibliography  of  Printing,  with  Notes  and 
Illustrations.     London,  1880.     410. 

The  Literature  of  Printing.     A  Catalogue 

of  the  Library  illustrative  of  the  History  and  Art  of 
Typography,  Chalcography,  and  Lithography,  by  R. 
M.  Hoe.     London,  1877.     8vo. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the 
bibliographies  of  the  productions  of  the 
chief  printers  : 

Aldus. — Annales  de  l'Imprimerie  des  Aide  ou 
Histoire  des  trois  Manuce  et  de  leurs  editions.  Par 
Ant.  Aug.  Renouard.  Paris,  an  XII.  Seconde 
edition.     Paris,  1825.     8vo.     3  vols. 

Caxton. — The  Life  and  Typography  of  William 
Caxton,  England's  first  Printer,  with  evidence  of  his 
typographical  connection  with  Colard  Mansion,  the 
Printer  at  Bruges.  Compiled  from  original  sources 
by  William  Blades.  London,  1861-63.  2  vo's-  4to- 
A  condensed  edition  was  published  under  the  following 
title  :  The  Biography  and  Typography  of  William 
Caxton,  England's  first  Printer.  By  William  Blades. 
Second  edition.     London,  1882.     8vo. 

Elzevirs. — Willems  (A.).  Les  Elzevier.  Histoire 
et  Annales  Typographiques.    Bruxelles,  1880.   8vo. 

C.   Pieters.    Annales  de    l'Imprimerie  des 

Elsevier.      Gand,  1858.     8vo. 


Special  Bibliographies.  177 

Plantin. — La  Maison  Plantin  a.  Anvers.  Par 
L.  Degeorge.  Deuxieme  edition,  augmentee  d'une 
liste  chronologique  des  ouvrages  imprimes  par  Plantin 
a  Anvers  de  1555  a  1589.     Bruxelles,  1878.     8vo. 

Stephens. — Annales  de  l'lmprimerie  des  Estienne, 
ou  Histoire  de  la  Famille  des  Estienne  et  de  ses 
editions.  Par  A.  A.  Renouard.  Paris,  1837-38. 
8vo.     2  parts. 

Privately  Printed  Books. — The  second  edition  of 
John  Martin's  Bibliographical  Catalogue  of  Privately 
Printed  Books  was  published  in  1854,  and  a  newer 
work  on  this  important  subject  is  much  required. 
Mr.  W.  P.  Courtney  has  been  engaged  in  the  pro- 
duction of  such  a  work  for  some  years,  and  the  labour 
could  not  be  in  better  hands. 

Proverds. — The  Bibliographie  Parhniologique  of 
Pierre  Alexandre  Gratet-Duplessis  (1847),  is  one 
of  the  most  elaborate  and  carefully  compiled  biblio- 
graphies ever  published.  Sir  William  Stirling  Max- 
well printed  privately  a  catalogue  of  his  collection  of 
books  of  proverbs,  in  which  were  specially  marked 
those  unknown  to  Duplessis,  or  those  published  since 
the  issue  of  his  catalogue. 

Science. — An  article  on  the  Scientific  Libraries  in 
the  United  States  was  contributed  by  Dr.  Theodore 
Gill  to  the  U.S.  Report  on  Public  Libraries  (pp.  183- 
217).  It  contains  an  account  of  the  various  periodical 
records  of  work  in  the  various  departments  of 
science. 


178         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Shorthand. — Thomas  Anderson's  History  of  Short- 
hand, London  (1882),  contains  Lists  of  Writers  on 
Shorthand  in  different  languages. 

Theology. — There  is  an  article  on  Theological 
Libraries  in  the  United  States,  in  the  U.S.  Report  on 
Public  Libraries  (pp.  127-160).  The  following  ex- 
tract contains  some  particulars  respecting  these. — 
**  There  are  reported  twenty- four  libraries,  which 
contain  from  10,000  to  34,000  volumes  ;  and  these 
twenty-four  libraries  belong  to  ten  different  denomi- 
nations. Three  Baptist,  two  Catholic,  two  Congre- 
gational, three  Episcopal,  one  Lutheran,  two  Metho- 
dist, seven  Presbyterian,  one  Reformed  (Dutch),  one 
Reformed  (German),  and  two  Unitarian.  And,  if  we 
include  those  libraries  which  contain  less  than  10,000 
volumes,  the  list  of  different  denominations  to  which 
they  belong  is  extended  to  fifteen  or  sixteen." 

A  considerable  number  of  Bibliographies  of 
Theology  will  be  found  in  the  British  Museum 
Hand-list.  Darling's  Cyclopaedia  Bibliographica 
(1854-59),  Malcom's  Theological  Index  (Boston, 
1868),  and  Zuchold's  Bibliotheca  Theologica 
(Gottingen,   1864),  may  be  specially  mentioned. 

Topography. — Gough's  British  Topography  (2  vols. 
4to.  1780)  is  an  interesting  and  useful  book,  and 
Upcott's  Bibliographical  Account  of  the  principal 
works  relating  to  British  Topography,  3  vols.  8vo. 
(1818),  forms  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  English 
bibliography  extant. 


Special  Bibliographies.  179 

Topography. — Mr.  J.  P.  Anderson's  Book  of  British 
Topography  (1881)  is  an  indispensable  book.  Mr. 
Robert  Harrison  has  prepared  for  the  Index  Society 
an  Index  of  Books  on  Topography,  arranged  in  one 
alphabet  of  places,  which  has  not  yet  been  published. 
Mr.  W.  H.  K.  Wright  contributed  a  paper  on 
"Special  Collections  of  Local  Books  in  Provincial 
Libraries"  to  the  Transactions  of  the  First  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  Library  Association,  1878  (pp.  44-50). 
Another  paper  on  the  same  subject,  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Nodal,  appears  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Second 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Library  Association,  1879 
(pp.  54-60),  entitled  "Special  Collections  of  Books 
in  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,"  and  in  the  Appendix 
(pp.  139-148)  is  a  full  account  of  these  collections  in 
Public  Libraries  and  private  hands. 

An  indication  of  some  of  the  chief  biblio- 
graphies of  particular  counties  and  places 
is  here  added — 

Cornwall  :    Boase   &    Courtney,    1874-82.      3   vols. 
A  model  bibliography. 

Devonshire  :  J.  Davidson,  1852. 

,,         Plymouth  (Three  Towns'  Bibliotheca),  R. 
N.  Worth,  1872-73. 

Dorsetshire:  C.  H.  Mayo,  privately  printed,  1885. 

Gloucestershire  :  Bibliotheca  Gloucestrensis,  J.  Wash- 
bourn,  1823-25. 


180         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Gloucestershire :    Collectanea    Glocestriensia,  J.    D. 

Phelps,  1842. 
Hampshire:  Bibliotheca Hantoniensis,  H.M.  Gilbert, 
1872? 
,,        List  of  Books,  Sir  W.  H.  Cope,  1879. 
Herefordshire  :  J.  Allen,  jun.,  1821. 
Kent  :  J.  Russell  Smith,  1837. 
Lancashire  :  H.  Fish  wick,  1875. 
Man  (Isle  of)  :  W.  Harrison,  1876. 
Norfolk  :  S.  Woodward  and  W.  C.  Ewing,  1842. 
Nottinghamshire :  S.  F.  Creswell,  1863. 
Sussex  :  G.  S.  Butler,  1866. 

Yorkshire:  Rt.  Hon.  John  Smythe,  Pontefract,  1809. 
,,         E.  Hailstone,  1858. 
,,         W.  Boyne,  1869. 
Trade  and  Finance. — Catalogue  of  Books,   com- 
prising the  Library  of  William  Paterson,  Founder  of 
the  Bank  of  England,  in  vol.  Hi.  of  the  Collection  of 
his   "Writings,  edited  by  Saxe  Bannister,"  (3  vols. 
8vo.  London,  1859). 

Enslin    und    Engelmann.       Bibliothek 

der     Handlungswissenschaft     1 750-1845.       Leipzig, 
1856. 

Trials. — The  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the 
Philosophical  Institution  of  Edinburgh  (1857)  con- 
tains (pp.  297-319)  a  very  useful  list  of  trials  in 
an  alphabet  of  the  persons  tried.  The  table  is 
arranged  under  name,  charge,  date  of  trial,  and 
reference. 


Special  Bibliographies.  i8r 

Voyages  and  Travels. — Locke's  Catalogue  and 
character  of  most  books  of  Voyages  and  Travels  is 
interesting  on  account  of  Locke's  notes.  (Locke's 
Works,  1812,  10  vols.  8vo.,  vol.  x.  pp.  513-564.) 

There  are  catalogues  of  books  of  travels  in  Pinker- 
ton's  collection  (1814),  and  Kerr's  collection  (1822). 

Boucher   de   la   Richaderie,    Bibliotheque 

Universelle  des  Voyages,  Paris,   1808.    6  vols.    8vo. 

Engelmann      (W.).        Bibliotheca     Geo- 

graphica.     Leipzig,  1858. 

Zoology.  —  Agassiz's  Bibliographia  Zoologicse  et 
Geologicse,  published  by  the  Ray  Society,  1848-54, 
was  a  useful  book  in  its  day,  but  it  is  of  no  value 
bibliographically,  and  the  titles  being  mostly  taken 
at  second-hand,  the  work  is  full  of  blunders. 

Carus  and   Engelmann's  Bibliotheca  Zoo- 

logica,    Leipzig    1861,    forms   a   Supplement   to   the 
Bibliotheca  Historico-Naturalis  of  Engelmann. 


A  large  number  of  bibliographies  of 
particular  authors  have  been  published  in 
this  country  and  abroad,  and  it  may  be 
useful  here  to  make  a  note  of  some  of  these. 

Ariosto,    Orlando   Furioso :    Ulisse   Guidi,   Bologna, 

1861,  1868.     G.  J.  Ferrazzi,  Bassano,  1881. 
Boccaccio  :  M.  Landau,  Napoli,  1881. 


1 82         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Burns :  J.  Mackie,  Kilmar,  1866. 

Calderon  :  E.  Dorer,  Leipzig,  1881. 

Camoens  :  Adamson's  Life  of  Camoens,  vol.  2,  1820- 

Cervantes  :  E.  Dorer,  Leipzig,  1881. 

Corneille  :  E.  Picot,  Paris,  1876. 

Dante :  Bibliografia  Dantesca,  Prato,  1845-46.      C. 

U.  J.  Chevalier,  1877.     G.  A.  Scartazzini,  Da'nte 

inGermania,  1881.    J.  Petzholdt,  Dresden,  1880. 
Goethe  :  S.  Hirzel,  1878. 
Luther  :    E.  G.  Vogel,  Halle,  185 1.    J.   Edmands,, 

Philadelphia,  1 883. 
Manzoni  :  A  Vosmara,  Milano,  1875. 
Moliere  :  P.  Lacroix,  Paris,  1875. 
Montaigne  :  J.  F.  Payer,  Paris,  1837. 
Persius  :  J.  Tarlier,  Bruxelles,  1848. 
Petrarch  :  Marsand,  Milano,  1826. 
,,      A.  Hortis,  Trieste,  1874. 
,,      G.  J.   Ferrazzi,    Bassano,    1877.      C.    U.    J. 

Chevalier,  Montpiliard,  1880. 
Rabelais  :  J.  C.  Brunet,  Paris,  1852. 
Schiller  :  L.  Unflad,  Miinchen,  1878. 
Tasso  :  G.  J.  Ferrazzi,  Bassano,  1880. 
Voltaire  :  G.  Bengesco,  Paris,  1882. 


Browning:  F.J.  Furnivall,  Browning  Society,  1881-2 
Carlyle  :  R.  H.  Shepherd,  1882. 
Defoe:  M.  Stace,  1829;  Wilson,  1830;  Lee,  1862. 
Dickens:  R.  H.  Shepherd,  1881. 
,,      J.  Cook,  Paisley,  1879. 


Special  Bibliographies.  183 

Hazlitt,  Leigh  Hunt,  Charles  Lamb :  A.  Ireland,  1868. 

Ruskin  :  R.  H.  Shepherd,  1882. 

Shakespeare  :  J.  Wilson,  1827  ;  J.  O.  Halliwell,  1841  ; 
Moulin,  1845  ;  Sillig  and  Ulrici,  1854  ;  H.  G. 
Bohn,  1864;  F.  Thimm,  1865-72  ;  K.  Knortz, 
1876;  Unflad,  1880;  Justin  Winsor  (Poems). 

Tennyson :  R.  H.  Shepherd,  1879. 

Thackeray :  R.  H.  Shepherd,  1881. 

WyclifFe  :  J.  Edmands,  1884. 

Dr.  Garnett  commenced  a  MS.  list  of 
such  special  bibliographies  as  he  came 
across  in  Treatises  on  the  different  subjects. 
This  list  is  added  to  and  kept  in  the  Read- 
ing Room  for  use  by  the  Librarians.  I  was 
allowed  the  privilege  of  referring  to  this 
very  useful  list. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Publishing  Societies. 

LARGE  amount  of  important 
information  is  to  be  found  in 
the  publications  of  the  numerous 
Societies  formed  for  the  purpose  of  sup- 
plying to  their  subscribers  valuable  works 
which  are  but  little  likely  to  find  publishers. 
These  publications  have  in  a  large  number 
of  instances  added  to  our  knowledge  of 
history  and  literature  considerably.  The 
Societies  have  much  increased  of  late 
years,  but  no  record  of  the  publications  is 
easily  to  be  obtained,  since  the  full  account 
given  in  Bohn's  Supplement  to  Lowndes's 
Bibliographer 's  Manual. 

The    earliest    of    Publishing    Societies    was    the 
Dilettanti   Society,   instituted    in    London    in    1734, 


Publishing  Societies.  185 

which  issued  some  fine  illustrated  volumes  of  classical 
travel.  A  long  period  of  time  elapsed  without  any 
societies  of  a  similar  character  being  formed. 

The  Roxburghe  Club  was  formed  in  the  year  1812 
in  commemoration  of  the  sale  of  the  magnificent 
library  of  John  third  Duke  of  Roxburghe  (died 
March  19,  1804).  It  was  chiefly  intended  as  a 
Social  Club,  and  a  long  list  of  bibliographical  toasts 
was  run  through  at  the  banquets.  The  publications 
were  not  at  first  of  any  great  literary  value,  although 
some  of  them  were  curious  and  interesting.  After 
a  time  competent  editors  were  employed,  and  some 
important  works  produced.  Sir  Frederick  Madden's 
editions  of  "  Havelok  the  Dane"  was  issued  in  1828, 
of  the  Romance  of  "William  and  the  Werwolf"  in 
1832,  and  of  the  old  English  version  of  "Gesta 
Romanorum"  in  1838.  The  valuable  "Manners  and 
Household  Expenses  of  England  in  the  Thirteeenth 
and  Fifteenth  Centuries,"  edited  by  T.  Hudson 
Turner,  was  presented  to  the  Club  by  Beriah 
Botfield  in  1841 ;  Payne  Collier's  edition  of  the 
"Household  Books  of  John  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and 
Thomas  Earl  of  Surrey,  1481-1490,"  was  issued 
in  1844,  and  his  "  Five  Old  Plays  illustrative  of  the 
Early  Progress  of  the    English   Drama"   in    1851  ; 


1 86         Hozv  to  Form  a  Library. 

the  Rev.  Joseph  Stevenson's  edition  of  "  The  Owl 
and  the  Nightingale,  a  Poem  of  the  Twelfth 
Century,"  was  issued  in  1838,  and  his  edition  of 
"The  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt  "  in  1855  ;  John  Gough 
Nichols's  edition  of  the  "  Literary  Remains  of  King 
Edward  the  Sixth"  appeared  in  1857  and  18-58 
(2  vols.),  and  Dr.  Furnivall's  edition  of  Henry 
Lonelich's  "Seynt  Graal"  in  1863-1864. 

Several  years  elapsed  before  the  second  great 
Printing  Club  was  founded.  In  1823  The  Bannatyne 
Club  was  started  in  Edinburgh,  chiefly  by  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  for  the  purpose  of  printing  works  illustrative 
of  the  History,  Antiquities  and  Literature  of  Scotland. 
It  derives  its  names  from  George  Bannatyne  (born 
Feb.  22,  1545,  died  1607).  A  long  series  of  books 
have  been  issued  by  the  Club  to  its  members,  many 
of  which  are  of  great  interest.  The  Catalogue  of  the 
Abbotsford  Library  was  presented  in  1839  to  the 
members  "by  Major  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Bart.,  as 
a  slight  return  for  their  liberality  and  kindness 
in  agreeing  to  continue  to  that  Library  the  various 
valuable  works  printed  under  their  superintendence." 
In  the  same  year  appeared  Sir  Frederick  Madden's 
edition  of  Sir  Gawayne.  Bishop  Gawin  Douglas's 
"  Palace  of  Honour"  was  printed  in  1827,  and  his 


PablisJiing  Societies.  187 

translation  of  Virgil's   "yEneid"  in  1839  (2  vols.). 
The  Club  was  closed  in  1867. 

The  Maitland  Club,  which  derived  its  name  from 
Sir  Richard  Maitland  of  Lethington  (born  in  1496, 
died  March  20,  1586),  was  instituted  in  Glasgow  in 
1828.  A  volume  containing  "The  Burgh  Records  of 
the  City  of  Glasgow,  1573  to  1581,"  was  presented 
to  the  Club  in  1832-34 ;  the  Poems  of  Drummond  of 
Hawthornden  in  1832  ;  Robert  Wodrow's  "Collection 
upon  the  Lives  of  the  Reformers  and  most  eminent 
Ministers  of  the  Church  of  Scotland "  in  1834-45 
(2  vols.).  Dauncey's  Ancient  Scottish  Melodies  in 
1838.  Sir  Bevis  of  Hamtoun  in  the  same  year,  the 
Metrical  Romance  of  Lancelot  du  Lak  in  1839  ; 
Wodrow's  Analecta,  or  Materials  for  a  History  of 
Remarkable  Providences,  in  1842-3  (4  vols.).  Henry 
Laing's  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Ancient  Seals,  in 
1850.     The  Club  was  closed  in  1859. 

The  Abbotsford  Club  was  founded  in  honour  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott  in  1834,  by  Mr.  W.  B.  D.  D.  Turnbull. 
The  first  book  (issued  in  1835)  was  a  volume  of 
"Ancient  Mysteries  from  the  Digby  MS."  ;  "  Arthur 
and  Merlin,  a  Metrical  Romance,"  was  printed  in 
1838;  "  Romances  of  Sir  Guy  of  Warwick  and 
Rembrun  his  Son,"  in  1840;    "The  Legend  of  St. 


1 88         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Katherine  of  Alexandra,"  in  1841  ;  "Sir  Degaree,  a 
Metrical  Romance  of  the  end  of  the  nineteenth 
century,"  in  1849.     The  Club  was  closed  in  1866. 

These  Printing  Clubs  were  select  in  their  constitu- 
tion, and  the  books  being  printed  for  the  members 
in  small  numbers,  they  are  difficult  to  obtain  and  their 
price  is  high. 

With  the  foundation  of  the  Camden  Society  an 
entirely  new  system  was  adopted,  and  the  general 
body  of  book  lovers,  poor  as  well  as  rich,  were 
appealed  to  with  great  success,  and  valuable  books 
were  supplied  to  the  subscribers  at  a  price  which 
would  have  been  impossible  without  such  means. 
The  Camden  Society  is  entitled  to  this  honour  on 
account  of  the  general  interest  of  its  publications,  but 
the  Surtees  Society  was  actually  the  first  to  inaugurate 
the  new  system.  The  subscription  fixed  was  double 
that  which  the  founders  of  the  Camden  Society 
adopted,  but  it  was,  perhaps,  a  bolder  step  to  start 
a  Society,  appealing  to  a  somewhat  restricted  public 
with  a  two  guinea  subscription,  than,  to  appeal  to  the 
whole  reading  public  with  a  subscription  of  one  pound. 
Before  saying  more  of  the  Surtees  and  Camden 
Societies,  it  will  be  necessary  to  mention  some  other 
printing  clubs  which  preceded  them . 


Publishing  Societies.  189 

The  Oriental  Translation  Fund  was  established 
in  1828,  with  the  object  of  publishing  Translations 
from  Eastern  MSS.  into  the  languages  of  Europe. 
When  the  issue  of  books  was  discontinued,  the  stock 
of  such  books  as  remained  was  sold  off,  and  many  of 
these  can  still  be  obtained  at  a  cheap  rate. 

The  lona  Club  was  instituted  in  1833,  for  the 
purpose  of  investigating  the  History,  Antiquities,  and 
early  Literature  of  the  Highlands  and  Islands  of 
Scotland,  but  little  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  pub- 
lication. The  first  book  was  "  Collectanea  de  Rebus 
Albanicis, "  and  the  second,  "Transactions  of  the 
Club,"  vol.  i.  in  4  parts.  A  second  volume  was 
announced,  but  never  appeared. 

The  Surtees  Society  was  founded  at  Durham  in  1834 
for  the  publication  of  inedited  Manuscripts,  illustrative 
of  the  moral,  the  intellectual,  the  religious,  and  the 
social  condition  of  those  parts  of  England  and  Scotland 
included  on  the  East,  between  the  Humber  and  the 
Frith  of  Forth,  and  on  the  west,  between  the  Mersey 
and  the  Clyde,  a  region  which  constituted  the  ancient 
kingdom  of  Northumberland.  The  Society  is  named 
after  Robert  Surtees,  of  Mainforth,  author  of  the 
"History  of  the  County  Palatine  of  Durham." 
Although   founded   more    than   fifty  years   ago,    the 


190         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Society  is  still  flourishing,  and  carried  on  with  the 
same  vigour  as  of  old.  The  series  of  publications 
is  a  long  one,  and  contains  a  large  number  of  most 
important  works.  The  second  book  issued  was  "Wills 
and  Inventories,  illustrative  of  the  History,  Manners, 
Language,  Statistics,  etc.,  of  the  Northern  Counties 
of  England,  from  the  Eleventh  Century  downwards  " 
(Part  2  was  issued  in  i860) ;  the  third,  "The  Towneley 
Mysteries  or  Miracle  Plays";  the  fourth,  "Testa- 
menta  Eboracensia  :  Wills  illustrative  of  the  History, 
Manners,  Language,  Statistics,  etc.,  of  the  Province 
of  York,  from  1300  "  (vol.  1).  The  second  volume 
of  this  series  was  issued  in  1855.  "Anglo-Saxon 
and  Early  English  Psalter"  was  issued  in  1843-44 
(2  vols.)  ;  "  The  Durham  Household  Book  ;  or,  the 
Accounts  of  the  Bursar  of  the  Monastery  of  Durham, 
from  1530  to  1534,"  in  1844. 

The  Camden  Society,  instituted  in  1838,  has  issued  to 
its  subscribers  a  large  number  of  books  of  the  greatest 
interest  on  historical  and  literary  subjects.  The  set 
of  publications  is  so  well  known  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  enumerate  titles  here.  Among  the  most 
valuable  are  the  several  volumes  devoted  to  the 
correspondence  of  certain  old  families,  such  as  the 
"  Plumpton    Correspondence  "     (1839),     "  Egerton 


Publishing  Societies.  191 

Papers"  (1840),  "Rutland  Papers"  (1842),  and 
"  Savile  Correspondence"  (1858).  The  Romances 
and  Chronicles  must  also  be  mentioned,  and  the 
remarkable  edition  of  the  oldest  English  Dictionary, 
"  Promptorium  Parvulorum,"  which  was  fully  and 
learnedly  edited  by  the  late  Mr.  Albert  Way.  A 
second  series  was  commenced  in  1 871,  which  is  still 
continued. 

The  same  year  which  saw  the  foundation  of  the 
Camden  Society  also  gave  birth  to  The  English 
Historical  Society.  Sixteen  works  of  considerable 
value  were  issued,  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  the 
grand  "Codex  Diplomaticus  ^Evi  Saxonici"  of  the 
late  J.  Mitchell  Kemble  (1845-48). 

The  Spalding  Club,  named  after  John  Spalding, 
Commissary  Clerk  of  Aberdeen,  and  founded  at 
Aberdeen  in  1839  for  the  printing  of  the  Historical, 
Ecclesiastical,  Genealogical,  Topographical,  and 
literary  Remains  of  the  North- Eastern  Counties  of 
Scotland,  was  formed  on  the  model  of  the  exclusive 
clubs  ;  but  being  affected  by  the  more  democratic 
constitution  of  the  later  printing  societies,  its  sub- 
scription was  fixed  at  one  guinea.  Amongst  the 
most  interesting  of  the  Club's  publications  are  the 
"  Sculptured  Stones  of  Scotland"  (1856),  "Barbour's 


192         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Brus"  (1856),  and  the  "Fasti  Aberdonensis  :  Selec- 
tions from  the  Records  of  the  University  and  King's 
College  of  Aberdeen  from  1494  to  1854"  (1854). 

The  year  1840  saw  the  foundation  of  three  very 
important  Societies,  viz.  the  Parker,  the  Percy,  and 
the  Shakespeare. 

The  Parker  Society  took  its  name  from  the  famous 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Martin  Parker,  and  its 
objects  were  (1)  the  reprinting,  without  abridgment, 
alteration  or  omission,  of  the  best  works  of  the 
Fathers  and  early  Writers  of  the  Reformed  English 
Church  published  in  the  period  between  the  accession 
of  Edward  VI.  and  Queen  Elizabeth  ;  (2)  the  printing 
of  such  works  of  other  writers  of  the  Sixteenth 
Century  as  may  appear  desirable  (including  under 
both  classes  some  of  the  early  English  Translations 
of  the  Foreign  Reformers),  and  (3)  the  printing  of 
some  MSS.  of  the  same  authors  hitherto  unpublished. 
The  Society  was  an  enormous  success,  and  at  one 
time  the  list  contained  seven  thousand  members  ;  but 
owing  to  the  multitude  of  copies  printed,  and  the 
somewhat  dry  character  of  the  books  themselves, 
many  of  them  can  now  be  obtained  at  a  ridiculously 
small  sum,  the  price  of  a  complete  set  usually 
averaging  little  more  than  a  shilling  a  volume.    When 


Publishing  Societies.  193 

the  series  was  completed,  a  valuable  General  Index  to 
the  whole  was  compiled  by  Mr.  Henry  Gough,  1855. 

The  Percy  Society  took  its  name  from  Bishop  Percy, 
author  of  the  "  Reliques  of  Ancient  English  Poetry" 
(born  1729,  died  181 1),  and  was  founded  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  to  light  important  but  obscure 
specimens  of  Ballad  Poetry,  or  Works  illustrative  of 
that  department  of  Literature.  The  Society  was 
dissolved  in  1853,  but  during  the  thirteen  years  of  its 
existence  it  produced  a  singularly  interesting  series  of 
publications.  The  number  of  separate  works  registered 
in  Bohn's  Appendix  to  Lowndes's  Bibliographer's 
Manual  is  94,  besides  "  Quippes  for  Upstart  New- 
fangled Gentlewomen  by  Stephen  Gosson,"  which 
was  suppressed,  and  "Rhyming  Satire  on  the  Pride 
and  Vices  of  Women  Now-a-days,  by  Charles 
Bansley,"  1540,  which  was  reprinted  in  1841,  but  not 
issued.  The  set  is  much  sought  after,  and  fetches 
a  good  price. 

The  Shakespeare  Society  was  founded  in  1840,  to 
print  books  illustrative  of  Shakespeare  and  of  the 
literature  of  his  time,  and  a  very  valuable  collection 
of  works  was  issued  to  the  subscribers  during  the 
term  of  its  existence.  It  was  dissolved  in  1853,  and 
the  remaining  stock  was  made  up  into  volumes  and 

13 


194        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

sold  off.  There  was  much  for  the  Society  still  to  do  ; 
but  the  controversy  arising  out  of  the  discovery  of  the 
forgeries  connected  with  John  Payne  Collier's  name 
made  it  difficult  for  the  Shakespearians  to  work 
together  with  harmony. 

In  this  same  year  the  Musical  Antiquarian  Society 
was  founded,  and  during  the  seven  years  of  its  exis- 
tence it  issued  books  of  Madrigals,  Operas,  Songs, 
Anthems,  etc.,  by  early  English  composers. 

In  the  following  year  (1841),  the  Motetl  Society  was 
founded  for  the  publication  of  Ancient  Church  Music. 
Five  parts  only,  edited  by  Dr.  Rimbault,  were  issued. 

In  1 84 1  the  Society  for  the  Publication  of  Oriental 
Texts  was  founded,  and  a  series  of  works  in  Syriac, 
Arabic,  Sanscrit,  and  Persian  was  distributed  to  the 
subscribers  until  185 1,  when  the  Society  was  dissolved. 

The  Wodrow  Society  was  instituted  in  Edinburgh 
in  1841,  for  the  publication  of  the  early  writers  of  the 
Reformed  Church  of  Scotland,  and  named  after  the 
Rev.  Robert  Wodrow.  Among  its  publications 
are,  "Autobiography  and  Diary  of  James  Melvill," 
"  Correspondence  of  the  Rev.  R.  Wodrow  "  (3  vols.), 
"  History  of  the  Reformation  in  Scotland,  by  John 
Knox "  (2  vols.).  The  Society  was  dissolved  in 
1848. 


Publishing  Societies.  195 

The  sElfric  Society  was  founded  in  1842  for  the 
publication  of  those  Anglo-Saxon  and  other  literary- 
monuments,  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  tending  to 
illustrate  the  early  state  of  England.  The  publications, 
which  were  not  numerous,  were  edited  by  Benjamin 
Thorpe  and  J.  M.  Kemble,  and  the  Society  was 
discontinued  in  1856. 

The  Chetham  Society,  founded  at  Manchester  in  1843, 
for  the  publication  of  Historical  and  Literary  remains 
connected  with  the  Palatine  Counties  of  Lancaster  and 
Chester,  was  named  after  Humphrey  Chetham  (born 
1580,  died  1653).  The  Society,  which  still  flourishes, 
has  now  produced  a  very  long  series  of  important 
works,  and  the  volumes,  which  are  not  often  met  with, 
keep  up  their  price  well. 

The  Sydenham  Society  for  reprinting  Standard 
English  Works  in  Medical  Literature,  and  for  the 
Translation  of  Foreign  Authors,  with  notes,  was 
founded  in  1843.  After  printing  a  number  of  im- 
portant works,  the  Society  was  dissolved  in  1858,  and 
was  succeeded  by  The  New  Sydenham  Society. 

The  Spottiszvoode  Society  was  founded  at  Edinburgh 
in  1843,  for  the  revival  and  publication  of  the 
acknowledged  works  of  the  Bishops,  Clergy,  and 
Laity   of  the   Episcopal   Church   of    Scotland,    and 


196         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

rare,  authentic,  and  curious  MSS.,  Pamphlets  and 
other  Works  illustrative  of  the  Civil  and  Ecclesiastical 
State  of  Scotland.  It  takes  its  name  from  John 
Spottiswoode,  the  first  duly  consecrated  Scottish  Arch- 
bishop after  the  Reformation  (born  1566,  died  1639.) 
The  late  Mr.  Hill  Burton  gives  an  amusing  account 
of  the  foundation  of  this  Society  in  his  delightful 
Book-Hunler.  He  writes  :  "  When  it  was  proposed 
to  establish  an  institution  for  reprinting  the  works  of 
the  fathers  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Scotland,  it 
was  naturally  deemed  that  no  more  worthy  or 
characteristic  name  could  be  attached  to  it  than  that 
of  the  venerable  prelate,  who  by  his  learning  and 
virtues  had  so  long  adorned  the  Episcopal  Chair 
of  Moray  and  Ross  [Robert  Jolly],  and  who  had 
shown  a  special  interest  in  the  department  of 
literature  to  which  the  institution  was  to  be  devoted. 
Hence  it  came  to  pass  that,  through  a  perfectly  natural 
process,  the  Association  for  the  purpose  of  reprinting 
the  works  of  certain  old  divines  was  to  be  ushered 
into  the  world  by  the  style  and  title  of  the  Jolly 
Club.  There  happened  to  be  amongst  those  con- 
cerned, however,  certain  persons  so  corrupted  with 
the  wisdom  of  this  world,  as  to  apprehend  that  the 
miscellaneous  public  might  fail  to  trace  this  designa- 


Publishing  Societies.  197 

tion  to  its  true  origin,  and  might  indeed  totally 
mistake  the  nature  and  object  of  the  institution, 
attributing  to  it  aims  neither  consistent  with  the 
ascetic  life  of  the  departed  prelate,  nor  with  the  pious 
and  intellectual  object  of  its  founders.  The  counsels 
of  these  worldly-minded  persons  prevailed.  The 
Jolly  Club  was  never  instituted, — at  least  as  an 
association  for  the  reprinting  of  old  books  of  divinity, — 
though  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  institutions, 
more  than  one  so  designed  may  not  exist  for  other 
purposes.  The  object,  however,  was  not  entirely 
abandoned.  A  body  of  gentlemen  united  themselves 
together  under  the  name  of  another  Scottish  prelate, 
whose  fate  had  been  more  distinguished,  if  not  more 
fortunate,  and  the  Spottiswoode  Society  was  estab- 
lished. Here,  it  will  be  observed,  there  was  a 
passing  to  the  opposite  extreme,  and  so  intense  seems 
to  have  been  the  anxiety  to  escape  from  all  excuse 
for  indecorous  jokes  or  taint  of  joviality,  that  the 
word  Club,  wisely  adopted  by  other  bodies  of  the 
same  kind,  was  abandoned,  and  this  one  called  itself 
a  Society."  The  publications  were  discontinued 
about  1 85 1. 

The  Calvin   Translation  Society  was  established  at 
Edinburgh  in  1S43,  and  its  work  was  completed  in 


198         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

1855,  by  the  publication  of  twenty-two  Com- 
mentaries, etc.,  of  the  great  reformer  in  fifty-two 
volumes. 

The  Ray  Society  was  founded  in  1844  for  the 
publication  of  works  on  Natural  History  (Zoology 
and  Botany),  and  a  large  number  of  valuable  books, 
fully  illustrated,  have  been  produced,  many  of  them 
translations  from  foreign  works.  Many  of  the  later 
publications  are  more  elaborately  coloured  than  the 
earlier  ones. 

The  Wernerian  Club  was  instituted  in  1844  for  the 
republication  of  standard  works  of  Scientific  Authors 
of  old  date. 

The  Handel  Society was  founded  at  London  in  1844, 
for  the  purpose  of  printing  the  Works  of  Handel  in 
full  score.  Sixteen  volumes  were  issued,  and  in  1858 
the  Society  was  dissolved,  the  German  Handel  Society 
resuming  the  publication. 

The  Hanserd  Knollys  Society  was  instituted  in 
1845  for  the  publication  of  the  works  of  early  English 
and  other  Baptist  writers,  and  one  of  these  was  an 
edition  of  Bunyan's  Pilgrim  Progress  from  the  text  of 
the  first  edition.  The  Society  was  dissolved  about 
1851. 

77/if    Caxton    Society    was    instituted   in    1845    for 


Publishing  Societies.  199 

the  publication  of  Chronicles  and  other  writings 
hitherto  unpublished,  illustrative  of  the  history  and 
miscellaneous  literature  of  the  middle  ages.  This 
Society  was  formed  on  a  somewhat  original  basis. 
The  members  were  to  pay  no  annual  subscription,  but 
they  engaged  to  purchase  one  copy  of  all  books 
published  by  the  Society.  The  expense  of  printing 
and  publishing  to  be  defrayed  out  of  the  proceeds  of 
the  sale,  and  the  money  remaining  over  to  be  paid  to 
the  editors. 

The  Cavendish  Society  was  instituted  in  1846  for 
the  promotion  of  Chemical  Science  by  the  translation 
and  publication  of  valuable  works  and  papers  on 
Chemistry  not  likely  to  be  undertaken  by  ordinary 
publishers.  During  its  last  years  the  Society  existed 
for  the  publication  of  Gmelin's  voluminous  "Hand- 
book of  Chemistry,"  and  when  this  work  was  com- 
pleted, with  a  general  Index,  the  Society  ceased  to 
exist. 

The  Ecclesiastical  Histoiy  Society  was  instituted  in 
1846,  and  one  of  its  early  publications  was  the  first 
volume  of  Wood's  "  Athenae  Oxoniensis,"  edited  by 
Dr.  Bliss,  but  this  only  contained  the  life  of  Anthony 
Wood  himself.  The  Society  was  dissolved  in  1854, 
after  publishing   the   Book  of  Common    Prayer  ac- 


200        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

cordingto  a  MS.  in  the  Rolls  Office,  Dublin  (3  vols.), 
and  sundry  other  works. 

The  Hakluyt  Society,  named  after  Richard  Hakluyt 
(born  1553,  died  1616),  was  founded  at  the  end  of 

1846  for  the  purpose  of  printing  the  most  rare 
and  valuable  Voyages,  Travels  and  Geographical 
Records,  from  an  early  period  of  exploratory  enter- 
prise to  the  circumnavigation  of  Dam  pier.  The 
first  two  volumes  ("Sir  Richard  Hawkins's  Voyage 
into  the  South  Sea,  1593,"  and  "  Select  Letters 
of  Columbus")  were  issued  in  1847,  and  the 
Society  still  flourishes.  Between  1847  and  1885  the 
Society  has  presented  to  its  members  an  important 
series  of  books  of  travel,  at  the  rate  of  about  two 
volumes  a  year  for  an  annual  subscription  of  one 
guinea. 

The    Palceontographical   Society    was    founded    in 

1847  for  the  purpose  of  figuring  and  describing  a 
stratigraphical  series  of  British  Fossils.  The  annual 
volumes  consist  of  portions  of  works  by  the  most 
eminent  palaeontologists,  and  these  works  are  com- 
pleted as  soon  as  circumstances  allow,  but  several  of 
them  are  still  incomplete. 

The  Arundel  Society  is  so  important  an  institution 
that  it  cannot  be  passed  over  in  silence,  although,  as 


Publishing  Societies.  20 1 

the  publications  chiefly  consist  of  engravings,  chromo- 
lithographs, etc.,  it  scarcely  comes  within  the  scope  of 
this  chapter.  The  Society  takes  its  name  from  Thomas 
Howard  Earl  of  Arundel,  in  the  reigns  of  James  I. 
and  Charles  I.,  who  has  been  styled  the  "Father  of 
vertu  in  England."  It  was  founded  in  1849,  and  its 
purpose  is  to  diffuse  more  widely,  by  means  of  suitable 
publications,  a  knowledge  both  of  the  history  and 
true  principles  of  Painting,  Sculpture,  and  the  higher 
forms  of  ornamental  design,  to  call  attention  to  such 
masterpieces  of  the  arts  as  are  unduly  neglected,  and 
to  secure  some  transcript  or  memorial  of  those  which 
are  perishing  from  ill-treatment  or  decay.  The  publi- 
cations of  the  Society  have  been  very  successful,  and 
many  of  them  cannot  now  be  obtained. 

Most  of  the  societies  above  described  have  appealed 
to  a  large  public,  and  endeavoured  to  obtain  a  large 
amount  of  public  support;  but  in  1853  was  formed  an 
exclusive  society,  with  somewhat  the  same  objects  as 
the  Roxburghe  Club.  The  Philobiblon  Society  was 
instituted  chiefly  through  the  endeavours  of  Mr.  R. 
Monckton  Milnes  (the  late  Lord  Houghton)  and  the 
late  Mons.  Sylvain  Van  de  Weyer.  The  number  of 
members  was  at  first  fixed  at  thirty-five,  but  was  raised 
in   1857  to  forty,  including  the  patron  and  honorary 


202         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

secretaries.  The  publications  consist  chiefly  of  a 
series  of  Bibliographical  and  Historical  Miscellanies, 
contributed  by  the  members,  which  fill  several 
volumes.  Besides  these  there  are  "The  Expedition 
to  the  Isle  of  Rhe  by  Lord  Herbert  of  Cherbury," 
edited  and  presented  to  the  members  by  the  Earl  of 
Powis  ;  "Inventaire  de  tous  les  meubles  du  Cardinal 
Mazarin,"  edited  and  presented  by  H.R.H.  the 
Duke  d'Aumale ;  "  Memoires  de  la  Cour  d'Espagne 
sous  la  regne  de  Charles  II.,  1678-82,"  edited  and 
presented  by  William  Stirling  (afterwards  Sir  William 
Stirling  Maxwell) ;  "The  Biography  and  Bibliography 
of  Shakespeare,"  compiled  and  presented  by  Henry 
G.  Bohn  ;  "Analyse  des  Travaux  de  la  Societe  des 
Philobiblon  de  Londres,"  par  Octave  Delepierre. 

The  Ossianic  Society  was  instituted  at  Dublin  in 
1853  for  the  preservation  and  publication  of  manu- 
scripts in  the  Irish  Language,  illustrative  of  the 
Fenian  period  of  Irish  history,  etc.,  with  literal 
translations  and  notes. 

The  War  ton  Club  was  instituted  in  1854  and  issued 
four  volumes,  after  which  it  was  dissolved. 

The  Manx  Society  was  instituted  at  Douglas,  Isle 
of  Man,  in  1858,  for  the  publication  of  National 
Documents  of  the  Isle  of  Man. 


Publishing  Societies.  203 

All  the  Societies  mentioned  above  are 
registered  in  Henry  Bonn's  Appendix  to 
Lowndes's  Bibliographer's  Manual,  and 
lists  of  the  publications  up  to  1864  are  there 
given.  Most  of  them  are  also  described 
in  Hume's  "  Learned  Societies  and  Printing 
Clubs  of  the  United  Kingdom"  (1853). 
Since,  however,  the  publication  of  these 
two  books,  a  considerable  number  of  im- 
portant Printing  Societies  have  been  formed, 
and  of  these  a  list  is  not  readily  obtainable, 
except  by  direct  application  to  the  respective 
Secretaries. 

The  newly  printed  General  Catalogue  of 
the  British  Museum  in  the  Reading  Room 
however  contains  a  full  list  of  the  publi- 
cations of  the  various  Societies  under  the 
heading  of  Academies. 

The  foundation  of  the  Early  English  Text  Society 
in  1864  caused  a  renewed  interest  to  be  taken  in  the 
publications  of  the  Printing  Clubs.  The  origin  of  the 
Society  was  in  this  wise.  When  the  Philological 
Society  undertook  the  formation  of  a  great  English 
Dictionary,  the  want  of  printed  copies  of  some  of  the 


204        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

chief  monuments  of  the  language  was  keenly  felt. 
Mr.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  with  his  usual  energy,  determined 
to  supply  the  want,  and  induced  the  Council  of  the 
Philological  Society  to  produce  some  valuable  texts. 
It  was  found,  however,  that  these  publications  exhausted 
much  of  the  funds  of  the  Society,  which  was  required 
for  the  printing  of  the  papers  read  at  the  ordinary 
meetings,  so  that  it  became  necessary  to  discontinue 
them.  Mr.  Furnivall,  then,  in  conjunction  with 
certain  members  of  the  Philological  Society,  founded 
the  Early  English  Text  Society.  The  Society 
possessed  the  inestimable  advantage  of  having  among 
its  founders  Mr.  Richard  Morris  (afterwards  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Morris),  who  entered  with  fervour  into  the 
scheme,  and  produced  a  large  amount  of  magnificent 
work  for  the  Society.  Dr.  Furnivall  put  the  objects 
of  the  Society  forward  very  tersely  when  he  said  that 
none  of  us  should  rest  "  till  Englishmen  shall  be  able 
to  say  of  their  early  literature  what  the  Germans  can 
now  say  with  pride  of  theirs — 'every  word  of  it  is 
printed,  and  every  word  of  it  is  glossed.'" 

The  Society  prospered,  and  in  1867  an  Extra  Series 
was  started,  in  which  were  included  books  that  had 
already  been  printed,  but  were  difficult  to  obtain  from 
their  rarity  and  price. 


Publishing  Societies.  205 

One  hundred  and  twenty-six  volumes  have  been 
issued  between  1864  and  1884,  eighty-two  volumes  of 
the  Original  Series  and  forty-four  of  the  Extra  Series, 
and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  publications  of  the 
Society  have  had  an  immense  influence  in  fostering 
the  study  of  the  English  language.  The  prefaces  and 
glossaries  given  with  each  work  contain  an  amount  of 
valuable  information  not  elsewhere  to  be  obtained. 

These  books  throw  light  upon  the  growth  of  the 
language,  and  place  within  the  reach  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  readers  works  of  great  interest  in  the  literature 
of  the  country.  The  greatest  work  undertaken  by  the 
Society  is  the  remarkable  edition  of  "  William's 
Vision  of  Piers  the  Plowman,"  which  Prof.  Skeat  has 
produced  with  an  expenditure  of  great  labour  during 
nearly  twenty  years.  The  last  part,  containing 
elaborate   notes   and  glossary,  was   issued   in    1884. 

The  subjects  treated  of  are  very  various.  There  is 
a  fair  sprinkling  of  Romances,  which  will  always  be 
amongst  the  most  interesting  of  a  Society's  publi- 
cations. Manners  and  Customs  are  largely  illustrated 
in  a  fair  proportion  of  the  Texts,  as  also  are 
questions  of  Social  and  Political  History.  Perhaps 
the  least  interesting  to  the  general  reader  are  the 
Theological  Texts,  which  are  numerous,  but  the  writers 


206        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

of  these  were  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  their 
times,  and  although  they  are  apt  to  be  prosy,  they  are 
pretty  sure  to  introduce  some  quaint  bits  which  com- 
pensate for  a  considerable  amount  of  dulness.  These 
books  help  us  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  the  beliefs 
of  our  forefathers,  and  to  disabuse  our  minds  of  many 
mistaken  views  which  we  have  learnt  from  more 
popular  but  less  accurate  sources. 

The  Ballad  Society  grew  out  of  the  publication,  by 
special  subscription,  of  Bishop  Percy's  Folio  Manu- 
script, edited  by  F.  J.  Furnivall  and  J.  W.  Hales. 
This  was  issued  in  connection  with  the  Early  English 
Text  Society  (but  not  as  one  of  its  Texts),  through 
the  energy  of  Mr.  Furnivall,  who  had  many  difficulties 
to  overcome  before  he  was  able  to  get  permission  to 
print  the  manuscript,  which  had  been  very  faithfully 
guarded  from  the  eyes  of  critics.  He  had  to  pay  for 
the  privilege,  and  in  the  end  the  old  volume  was  sold 
to  the  nation,  and  it  now  reposes  among  the  treasures 
of  the  British  Museum.  When  this  useful  work  was 
completed,  Mr.  Furnivall  was  anxious  to  follow  it  by 
a  reprint  of  all  the  known  collections  of  Ballads,  such 
as  the  Roxburghe,  Bagford,  Rawlinson,  Douce,  etc., 
and  for  this  purpose  he  started  the  Ballad  Society  in 
1868.    He  himself  edited  some  particularly  interesting 


Publishing  Societies.  207 

"  Ballads  from  Manuscripts,"  and  an  elaborate  account 
of  Captain  Cox's  Ballads  and  Books  in  a  new  edition 
of  Robert  Laneham's  Letter  on  the  Entertainment  at 
Kenilworth  in  1575.  The  veteran  Ballad  illustrator, 
Mr.  William  Chappell,  undertook  to  edit  the  "  Rox- 
burghe  Ballads,"  and  produced  nine  parts,  when  the 
Rev.  J.  W.  Ebsworth  took  the  work  off  his  hands. 
Mr.  Ebsworth  had  previously  reproduced  the  "Bagford 
Ballads,"  and  he  is  now  the  editor-in-chief  of  the 
Society.  The  following  is  a  short  list  of  the  publica- 
tions of  the  Society  :  Nos.  I,  2,  3,  10,  "  Ballads  from 
Manuscripts";  Nos.  4,  5,  6,  8,  9,  12,  13,  18,  19. 
"The  Roxburghe  Ballads,"  edited  by  Wm.  Chappell; 
No.  7,  "  Captain  Cox,  his  Ballads  and  Books  "  ;  No. 
11,  "Love  Poems  and  Humourous  Ones";  Nos. 
14,  15,  16,  17,  "The  Bagford  Ballads."  No.  20, 
"The  Amanda  Group  of  Bagford  Ballads;"  Nos. 
21,  22,  23,  24,  25,  26,  "The  Roxburghe  Ballads," 
edited  by  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Ebsworth.  No.  26  com- 
pletes the  fifth  volume  of  the  "  Roxburghe  Ballads." 
There  are  two  more  volumes  to  come,  and  then  Mr. 
Ebsworth  will  undertake  "The  Civil  War  and 
Protectorate  Ballads."  Much  of  the  work  on  these 
volumes  is  done,  and  they  only  await  an  increase  in 
the  subscription  list.     It  is  to  be  hoped  that  when  the 


208         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

good  work  done  by  the  Ballad  Society  is  better  known, 
the  editor  will  not  be  kept  back  in  his  useful  course 
by  the  want  of  funds  for  printing.  Mr.  Ebsworth's 
thorough  work  is  too  well  known  to  need  praise 
here,  but  it  may  be  noted  that  his  volumes  contain 
a  remarkable  amount  of  illustration  of  the  manners 
of  the  time  not  to  be  obtained  elsewhere.  The 
value  of  this  is  the  more  apparent  by  the  system  of 
arrangement  in  marked  periods  which  the  editor 
has  adopted. 

The  Chaucer  Society  was  founded  in  1868  by  Mr. 
Furnivall,  "to  do  honour  to  Chaucer,  and  to  let  the 
lovers  and  students  of  him  see  how  far  the  best  un- 
printed  Manuscripts  of  his  Works  differed  from  the 
printed  texts."  For  the  Canterbury  Tales,  Mr. 
Furnivall  has  printed  the  six  best  unprinted  MSS.  in 
two  forms — (1)  in  large  oblong  parts,  giving  the 
parallel  texts ;  (2)  in  octavo,  each  text  separately. 
The  six  manuscripts  chosen  are — The  Ellesmere ; 
The  Lansdowne  (Brit.  Mus.)  ;  The  Hengwrt ;  The 
Corpus,  Oxford;  The  Cambridge  (University  Library); 
The  Petworth.  Dr.  Furnivall  has  now  added 
Harleian  7334  to  complete  the  series.  The  Society's 
publications  are  issued  in  two  series,  of  which  the 
first  contains  the  different  Texts  of  Chaucer's  Works, 


Publishing  Societies.  209 

and  the  second  such  originals  of  and  essays  on  these 
as  can  be  procured,  with  other  illustrative  treatises 
and  Supplementary  Tales. 

The  Spenser  Society  was  founded  at  Manchester  in 
1867  for  the  publication  of  well -printed  editions  of 
old  English  authors  in  limited  numbers.  The  chief 
publication  issued  to  subscribers  was  a  reprint,  in 
three  volumes  folio,  of  the  works  of  John  Taylor, 
the  Water-poet,  from  the  original  folio.  The  other 
publications  are  in  small  quarto,  and  among  them  are 
the  works  of  John  Taylor  not  included  in  the  folio, 
the  works  of  Wither,  etc. 

The  Roxburghe  Library  was  a  subscription  series, 
commenced  by  Mr.  W.  Carew  Hazlitt  in  1 868,  with 
the  same  objects  as  a  publishing  society.  It  was 
discontinued  in  1870.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
publications: — "  Romance  of  Paris  and  Vienne"; 
William  Browne's  Complete  Works,"  2  vols. ;  "In- 
edited  Tracts  of  the  1 6th  and  17th  Centuries  (1579- 
1618)";  "The  English  Drama  and  Stage  under  the 
Tudor  and  Stuart  Princes,  1 543-1664";  "George 
Gascoigne's  Complete  Poems,"  2  vols.;  "Thomas 
Carew's  Poems." 

The  Harleian  Society  was  founded  in  1869.  Their 
chief  publication  has  been  the  late  Colonel  Chester's 

14 


210         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

magnificently  edited  Registers  of  Westminster  Abbey. 
Other  Registers  published  are  those  of  St.  Peter's, 
Cornhill ;  St.  Dionis  Backchurch  ;  St.  Mary  Alder- 
mary  ;  St.  Thomas  the  Apostle  ;  St.  Michael,  Corn- 
hill  ;  St.  Antholin,  Budge  Lane  ;  and  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  on  Wallbrook.  Of  the  other  publications 
there  are  Visitations  of  Bedfordshire,  Cheshire,  Corn- 
wall, Cumberland,  Devon,  Essex,  Leicestershire, 
London  1568,  1633,  Nottingham,  Oxford,  'Rutland, 
Somersetshire,  Warwickshire,  and  Yorkshire,  and 
Le  Neve's  Catalogue  of  Knights. 

The  Hunterian  Club  was  founded  at  Glasgow  in 
1871,  and  named  after  the  Hunterian  Library  in  the 
University.  Among  the  publications  of  the  Club  are 
a  Series  of  Tracts  by  Thomas  Lodge  and  Samuel 
Rowlands  ;  the  Poetical  Works  of  Alexander  Craig  ; 
Poetical  Works  of  Patrick  Hannay ;  Sir  T.  Over- 
burie's  Vision  by  Richard  Niccols,  1616.  The  printing 
of  the  famous  Bannatyne  Manuscript,  compiled  by 
George  Bannatyne,  1568,  was  commenced  by  the 
Society  in  1873,  and  the  seventh  part,  which  com- 
pleted this  invaluable  collection  of  Scottish  Poetry, 
was  issued  in  1881. 

The  Folk  Lore  Society  was  founded  by  the  late  Mr. 
W.  J.  Thorns  (inventor  of  the  term  Folk  Lore)  in 


Publishing  Societies.  211 

1878,  and  during  the  seven  years  of  its  existence 
it  has  done  much  valuable  work,  chiefly  through  the 
energetic  direction  of  Mr.  G.  L.  Gomme,  the  Hon.  Sec. 
(now  Director).  The  object  of  the  Society  is  stated 
to  be  "the  preservation  and  publication  of  Popular 
Traditions,  Legendary  Ballads,  Local  Proverbial 
Sayings,  Superstitions  and  Old  Customs  (British 
and  Foreign),  and  all  subjects  relating  to  them." 
The  principal  publication  of  the  Society,  the  Folk 
Lore  Record,  now  the  Folk  Lore  Jourtial,  was  at  first 
issued  in  volumes,  and  afterwards  in  monthly  numbers. 
It  is  now  a  quarterly.  The  other  publications  are  : — 
Henderson's  Folk-Lore  of  the  Northern  Counties  of 
England  and  the  Borders,  a  new  edition  ;  Aubrey's 
Remaines  of  Gentilisme  and  Judaisme  ;  Gregor's 
Notes  on  the  Folk-Lore  of  the  North-east  of  Scotland  ; 
Comparetti's  Book  of  Sindibad  and  Pedroso's  Portu- 
guese Folk  Tales ;  Black's  Folk  Medicine ;  Call- 
away's Religious  System  of  the  Amazulu. 

The  year  1873  saw  the  formation  of  several  pub- 
lishing Societies. 

The  Neiv  Shakspere  Society  was  founded  by  Dr.  F. 
J.  Furnivall,  for  the  reading  of  papers,  which  have 
been  published  in  a  Series  of  Transactions,  and  also  for 
the  publication  of  collations  of  the  Quarto  Plays,  and 


212         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

works  illustrating  the  great  Dramatist's  times.  Among 
the  latter  works  are  Harrison's  Description  of  England, 
Stubbes's  Anatomie  of  Abuses,  Dr.  Ingleby's  Shake- 
speare's Centurie  of  Prayse,  etc. 

The  English  Dialect  Society  was  founded  at  Cam- 
bridge by  the  Rev.  Professor  Skeat.  Its  objects  are 
stated  to  be  (i)  to  bring  together  all  those  who  have 
made  a  study  of  any  of  the  Provincial  Dialects  of 
England,  or  who  are  interested  in  the  subject  of 
Provincial  English  ;  (2)  to  combine  the  labours 
of  collectors  of  Provincial  English  words  by  providing 
a  common  centre  to  which  they  may  be  sent,  so  as  to 
gather  material  for  a  general  record  of  all  such  words  ; 
(3)  to  publish  (subject  to  proper  revision)  such  collec- 
tions of  Provincial  English  words  that  exist  at  present 
only  in  manuscript ;  as  well  as  to  reprint  such 
Glossaries  of  provincial  words  as  are  not  generally 
accessible,  or  are  inserted  in  books  of  which  the 
main  part  relates  to  other  subjects  ;  and  (4)  to  supply 
references  to  sources  of  information  which  may  be  of 
material  assistance  to  word-collectors,  students,  and 
all  who  have  a  general  or  particular  interest  in  the 
subject.  The  publications  are  arranged  under  the 
following  Series  :  A,  Bibliographical  ;  B,  Reprinted 
Glossaries  ;  C,  Original  Glossaries  ;  D,  Miscellaneous. 


Publishing  Societies.  213 

In  1875  the  Society  was  transferred  to  Manchester, 
and  Mr.  J.  H.  Nodal  became  Honorary  Secretary. 

The  Palcsographical  Society  was  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  reproducing  Specimens  of  Manuscripts, 
and  it  has  produced  a  Series  of  Facsimiles  of  Ancient 
Manuscripts,  edited  by  E.  A.  Bond  and  E.  M. 
Thompson,  Part  I  being  issued  in  1873. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1877  The  Index  Society  was 
founded  for  the  purpose  of  producing  (1)  Indexes  of 
Standard  Works ;  (2)  Subject  Indexes  of  Science, 
Literature  and  Art ;  and  (3)  a  General  Reference 
Index.  The  publications  were  commenced  in  1878, 
and  the  First  Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  March, 
1879,  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon  being  the  first  President. 
The  first  publication  was  "  What  is  an  Index  ?  "  by 
H.  B.  Wheatley.  Among  the  important  books 
issued  by  the  Society  may  be  mentioned  Solly's 
"  Index  of  Hereditary  Titles  of  Honour  "  ;  Daydon 
Jackson's  "Guide  to  the  Literature  of  Botany"  and 
"  Literature  of  Vegetable  Technology,"  and  Rye's 
"  Index  of  Norfolk  Topography." 

The  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Hellenic  Studies 
was  founded  in  1879  for  the  following  objects  :  (1)  To 
advance  the  study  of  the  Greek  language,  literature, 
and  art,  and  to  illustrate  the  history  of  the  Greek  race 


214        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

in  the  ancient,  Byzantine,  and  Neo-Hellenic  periods, 
by  the  publication  of  memoirs  and  inedited  documents 
or  monuments  in  a  Journal  to  be  issued  periodically. 
(2)  To  collect  drawings,  facsimiles,  transcripts,  plans, 
and  photographs  of  Greek  inscriptions,  MSS.,  works 
of  art,  ancient  sites  and  remains,  and  with  this'  view 
to  invite  travellers  to  communicate  to  the  Society 
notes  or  sketches  of  archaeological  and  topographical 
interest.  (3)  To  organise  means  by  which  members 
of  the  Society  may  have  increased  facilities  for  visiting 
ancient  sites  and  pursuing  archaeological  researches  in 
countries  which,  at  any  time,  have  been  the  sites  of 
Hellenic  civilization.  Five  volumes  of  the  Journal 
have  been  issued. 

The  Topographical  Society  of  London  was  formed 
in  1880.  The  Inaugural  Meeting  was  held  at  the 
Mansion  House,  and  the  first  Annual  Meeting  at 
Drapers'  Hall  on  Feb.  3,  1882,  with  the  Lord 
Mayor  (Sir  John  Whitaker  Ellis),  President,  in  the 
chair.  The  following  reproductions  have  been  issued 
to  subscribers  : — Van  der  Wyngaerde's  View  of 
London,  ab.  1550,  7  sheets;  Braun  &  Hogenberg's 
Plan  of  London,  1  sheet  ;  Visscher's  View  of 
London,  4  sheets. 

The  Browning  Society  was  founded  by  Dr.  Furnivall 


Publishing  Societies.  215 

in  1881,  and  besides  papers  read  at  the  meetings,  the 
Society  has  issued  Dr.  Furnivall's  "  Bibliography  of 
Browning." 

The  Wyclif  Society  was  founded  also  by  Dr.  Furnivall 
in  1882,  for  the  publication  of  the  complete  works  of 
the  great  Reformer. 

The  Pipe  Roll  Society  was  established  in  1883,  and 
in  1885  the  first  three  volumes  of  its  publications  have 
been  issued  to  the  members.  These  are — Vol.  I, 
Pipe  Rolls,  5  Hen.  II. ;  Vol.  2,  6  Hen.  II.  ;  Vol.  3, 
Introduction. 

The  Oxford  Historical  Society  was  formed  in  1884, 
and  four  handsome  volumes  have  been  issued  for  that 
year  and  1885.  These  are— 1,  "Register  of  the 
University  of  Oxford"  (vol.  1,  1449-63,  1505-71), 
edited  by  the  Rev.  C.  W.  Boase  ;  2,  "Remarks  and 
Collections  of  Thomas  Hearne"  (vol.  1,  July  4,  1705- 
March,  19,  1707),  edited  by  C.  E.  Doble,  M.A. 
Both  these  volumes  are  supplied  with  temporary 
Indexes.  3,  "  The  Early  History  of  Oxford,  727- 
1100,"  by  James  Parker;  4,  "Memories  of  Merton 
College,"  by  the  Hon.  George  C.  Brodrick ;  5, 
"Collectanea."  First  Series.  Edited  by  C.  R.  L. 
Fletcher. 

The  Middlesex  County  Record  Society  was  formed  in 


216         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

1885  "for  the  purpose  of  publishing  the  more  in- 
teresting portions  of  the  old  County  Records  of 
Middlesex,  which  have  lately  been  arranged  and 
calendared  by  order  of  the  Justices."  Nothing  has 
been  published  as  yet,  but  Mr.  Cordy  Jeaffrespn  is 
engaged  upon  the  first  two  volumes,  one  of  which 
will  be  issued  shortly. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  A.  B.  Grosart  has  himself  printed  by 
subscription  more  works  of  our  Old  Writers  than 
many  a  Society,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary  to 
mention  his  labours  here,  although  a  complete  list  of 
them  cannot  be  given.  The  chief  series  are  :  "  The 
Fuller  Worthies  Library,"  39  volumes  ;  "  The 
Chertsey  Worthies  Library,"  14  vols.  4to. ,  and 
"  The  Huth  Library." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Child's    Library. 

HE  idea  of  a  Child's  Library  is  to  a 
great  extent  modern,  and  it  is  not 
altogether  clear  that  it  is  a  good 
one,  except  in  the  case  of  those  children 
who  have  no  books  of  their  own.  It  is  far 
better  that  each  child  should  have  his  own 
good  books,  which  he  can  read  over  and 
over  again,  thus  thoroughly  mastering  their 
contents. 

It  is  a  rather  wide-spread  notion  that 
there  is  some  sort  of  virtue  in  reading  for 
reading's  sake,  although  really  a  reading 
boy  may  be  an  idle  boy.  When  a  book 
is  read,  it  should  be  well  thought  over 
before  another  is  begun,  for  reading  with- 
out thought  generates  no  ideas. 


2 1 8         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

One  advantage  of  a  Child's  Library  should 
be  that  the  reader  is  necessarily  forced  to  be 
careful,  so  as  to  return  the  books  uninjured. 
This  is  a  very  important  point,  for  children 
should  be  taught  from  their  earliest  years  to 
treat  books  well,  and  not  to  destroy  them  as 
they  often  do.  We  might  go  farther  than 
this  and  say  that  children  should  be  taught 
at  school  how  to  handle  a  book.  It  is  really 
astonishing  to  see  how  few  persons  (not 
necessarily  children)  among  those  who  have 
not  grown  up  among  books  know  how  to 
handle  them.  It  is  positive  torture  to  a 
man  who  loves  books  to  see  the  way  they 
are  ordinarily  treated.  Of  course  it  is  not 
necessary  to  mention  the  crimes  of  wetting 
the  fingers  to  turn  over  the  leaves,  or  turning 
down  pages  to  mark  the  place ;  but  those 
who  ought  to  know  better  will  turn  a  book 
over  on  its  face  at  the  place  where  they 
have  left  off  reading,  or  will  turn  over 
pages  so  carelessly  that  they  give  a  crease  to 
each  which  will  never  come  out. 

For  a  healthy  education  it  is  probably 
best  that  a  child  should   have   the  run  of 


Child's  Library.  219 

a  library  for  adults  (always  provided  that 
dangerous  books  are  carefully  excluded). 
A  boy  is  much  more  likely  to  enjoy  and  find 
benefit  from  the  books  he  selects  himself 
than  from  those  selected  for  him. 

The  circumstances  of  the  child  should  be 
considered  in  the  selection  of  books ;  thus 
it  is  scarcely  fair  when  children  are  working 
hard  at  school  all  day  that  they  should  be 
made  to  read  so-called  instructive  books  in 
the  evening.  They  have  earned  the  right 
to  relaxation  and  should  be  allowed  good 
novels.  To  some  boys  books  of  Travels  and 
History  are  more  acceptable  than  novels, 
but  all  children  require  some  Fiction,  and, 
save  in  a  few  exceptional  cases,  their 
imaginations  require  to  be  cultivated. 

It  will  soon  be  seen  whether  children 
have  healthy  or  unhealthy  tastes.  If  healthy, 
they  are  best  left  to  themselves  ;  if  unhealthy, 
they  must  be  directed. 

It  is  easy  for  the  seniors  to  neglect  the 
children  they  have  under  them,  and  it  is 
easy  to  direct  them  overmuch,  but  it  is 
difficult  to  watch  and  yet  let  the  children 


220         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

go  their  own  way.  We  are  apt,  in  arranging 
for  others,  to  be  too  instructive  ;  nothing  is 
less  acceptable  to  children  or  less  likely 
to  do  them  good  than  to  be  preached  at. 
Moral  reflections  in  books  are  usually 
skipped  by  children,  and  unless  somewhat 
out  of  the  common,  probably  by  grown-up 
persons  as  well.  Instruction  should  grow 
naturally  out  of  the  theme  itself,  and  form 
an  integral  part  of  it,  so  that  high  aims 
and  noble  thoughts  may  naturally  present 
themselves  to  the  readers. 

One  of  the  chapters  in  the  United  States 
Libraries'  Report  is  on  "School  and  Asylum 
Libraries"  (pp.  38-59),  in  which  we  are 
informed  that  New  York  was  the  pioneer 
in  founding  school  libraries.  "In  1827 
Governor  De  Witt  Clinton,  in  his  message  to 
the  legislature,  recommended  their  forma- 
tion ;  but  it  was  not  till  1835  that  the  friends 
of  free  schools  saw  their  hopes  realized  in 
the  passage  of  a  law  which  permitted  the 
voters  in  any  school  district  to  levy  a  tax  of 
$  20  to  begin  a  library,  and  a  tax  of  %  10  each 
succeeding  year  to  provide  for  its  increase." 


Child's  Library.  221 

Another  chapter  in  the  same  Report  is  on 
"  Public  Libraries  and  the  Young"  (pp.  412- 
418),  in  which  Mr.  Wm.  J.  Fletcher  advo- 
cates the  use  of  the  library  as  an  addition 
to  the  school  course.  He  writes,  "  It  only 
remains  now  to  say  that,  as  we  have  before 
intimated,  the  public  library  should  be 
viewed  as  an  adjunct  of  the  public  school 
system,  and  to  suggest  that  in  one  or  two 
ways  the  school  may  work  together  with 
the  library  in  directing  the  reading  of  the 
young.  There  is  the  matter  of  themes  for 
the  writing  of  compositions ;  by  selecting 
subjects  on  which  information  can  be  had 
at  the  library,  the  teacher  can  send  the 
pupil  to  the  library  as  a  student,  and  readily 
put  him  in  communication  with,  and  excite 
his  interest  in,  classes  of  books  to  which 
he  has  been  a  stranger  and  indifferent." 

A  very  interesting  book  on  this  subject  is 
entitled  "Libraries  and  Schools.  Papers 
selected  by  Samuel  S.  Green.  New  York 
(F.  Leypoldt),  1883."  It  contains  the  fol- 
lowing subjects  :  "  The  Public  Library  and 
the  Public  Schools;"  "The  Relation  of  the 


222         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Public  Library  to  the  Public  Schools"; 
"Libraries  as  Educational  Institutions"; 
"The  Public  Library  as  an  Auxiliary  to  the 
Public  Schools";  "The  Relation  of  Libraries 
to  the  School  System";  and  "A  Plan  of 
Systematic  Training  in  Reading  at  School." 

"  Books  for  the  Young,  a  Guide  for  Parents 
and  Children.  Compiled  by  C.  M.  Hewins. 
New  York  (F.  Leypoldt),  1882,"  is  an 
extremely  useful  little  book.  It  contains 
a  valuable  list  of  books  arranged  in  classes. 
Certain  marks  are  used  to  indicate  the 
character  of  the  books,  thus  the  letter  (c) 
indicates  that  the  book  is  especially  suitable 
for  children  under  ten,  (6)  that  it  is  especi- 
ally suitable  for  boys,  and  (g)  that  it  is 
especially  suitable  for  girls. 

Prefixed  are  eight  sensible  rules  as  to 
how  to  teach  the  right  use  of  books. 

Perkins's  "Best  Reading"  contains  a 
good  list  of  books  for  children  (pp.  299- 

3<>3)- 

The  children's  books  of  the  present  day 
are  so  beautifully  produced  that  the  elders 
are  naturally  induced  to  exclaim,  "We  never 


Child's  Library.  223 

had  such  books  as  these,"  but  probably  we 
enjoyed  our  books  as  well  as  our  children 
do  theirs.  What  a  thrill  of  pleasure  the 
middle-aged  man  feels  when  a  book  which 
amused  his  childhood  comes  in  his  way  : 
this,  however,  is  seldom,  for  time  has  laid 
his  decaying  hand  upon  them — 

"  All,  all  are  gone,  the  old  familiar  faces." 

The  children  for  whom  Miss  Kate  Greenaway 
and  Mr.  Caldecott  draw  and  Mrs.  Gatty  and 
Mrs.  Ewing  wrote  are  indeed  fortunate,  but 
we  must  not  forget  that  Charles  and  Mary 
Lamb  wrote  delightful  books  for  the  young, 
that  Miss  Edgeworth's  stories  are  ever  fresh, 
and  that  one  of  the  most  charming  children's 
stories  ever  written  is  Mrs.  Sherwood's  Little 
Woodman. 

A  short  list  of  a  Child's  Library  is  quoted 
in  the  Library  Journal  (vol.  viii.  p.  57)  from 
the  Woman's  Journal.  The  family  for  whom 
it  was  chosen  consisted  of  children  from 
three  to  twelve,  the  two  eldest  being  girls. 
The  books  are  mostly  American,  and  but 
little  known  in  this  country — 


224        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Snow-bound.     Illustrated.     Whittier. 

Life  of  Longfellow.     Kennedy. 

A  Summer  in  the  Azores.     Baker. 

Among  the  Isles  of  Shoals.    Celia  Thaxter. 

The  boys  of '76.     Coffin. 

The  boys  of '61.     Coffin. 

Story  of  our  Country.     Higginson. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh.     Towle. 

Child's  History  of  England.     Dickens. 

Tales  from  Shakespear.     Lamb. 

Tales  from  Homer.     Church. 

TheWonder-book.  Illustrated.  Hawthorne. 

Young  folks'  book  of  poetry.    Campbell. 

Poetry  for  childhood.     Eliot. 

Bits  of  talk  about  home  matters.     H.  H. 

The  Seven  Little  Sisters.     Andrews. 

Hans  Brinker,  or  the  Silver  Skates.  Dodge. 

Room  for  one  more.    Mary  T.  Higginson. 

King  Arthur  for  boys.     Lanier. 

Doings  of  the  Bodley  family.     Scudder. 

Mother-play  and  Nursery-rhymes. 

Children's  Robinson  Crusoe. 

The  four-footed  lovers. 

Mammy  Tittleback  and  her  family.    H.  H. 

The  Little  Prudy  books.     Six  volumes. 


Child's  Library.  225 

The  editor  of  the  Library  Journal  remarks 
on  the  list,  "  Guest's  Lectures  on  English 
History  is  better  than  Dickens's,  and  the 
'  Prudy '  children  are  so  mischievous,  so 
full  of  young  Americanisms,  and  so  far  from 
being  •  wells  of  English  undefiled,'  that  they 
are  not  always  good  companions  for  boys 
and  girls.  I  have  known  a  child's  English 
spoiled  by  reading  the  Prudy  books." 

Some  of  the  old-fashioned  children's 
books  have  been  reprinted,  and  these  will 
generally  be  found  very  acceptable  to 
healthy-minded  children,  but  some  of  the 
old  books  are  not  easily  met  with.  No 
Child's  Library  should  be  without  a  good 
collection  of  Fairy  Tales,  a  careful  selection 
of  the  Arabian  Nights,  or  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Gulliver's  Travels  is  very  unsuited  for  children, 
although  often  treated  as  a  child's  book. 
Berquin's  Children's  Friend,  Edgeworth's 
Parent's  Assistant  and  the  Aikins's  Evenings 
at  Home,  will  surely  still  amuse  children, 
although  some  may  think  their  teaching  too 
didactic.  It  is  only  by  practical  experience 
that  we   can  tell  what   children  will   like. 

15 


226         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Sandford  and  Merton  is,  I  believe,  usually- 
considered  as  hopelessly  out  of  date,  but 
I  have  found  young  hearers  follow  *  my 
reading  of  it  with  the  greatest  interest.  The 
Pilgrim's  Prognss  will  always  have  as  great 
a  fascination  for  the  young  as  it  must  have 
for  their  elders  ;  but  there  is  much  preach- 
ing in  it  which  must  be  skipped,  or  the 
attention  of  the  hearers  will  flag. 


CHAPTER    X. 

One  Hundred  Books. 

N  the  Fourth  Chapter  of  this  Volume 
two  lists  of  selected  books  are 
cLJI  given,  viz.  The  Comtist's  Library, 
and  a  list  of  one  hundred  good  novels. 
Since  that  chapter  was  written  and  printed, 
much  public  attention  has  been  drawn  to 
this  branch  of  our  subject  by  the  publication 
of  Sir  John  Lubbock's  list  of  books  which 
he  recommended  to  the  members  of  the 
Working  Men's  College,  when  he  lectured 
at  that  place  on  "  Books."  The  comments 
by  eminent  men,  which  have  appeared  in 
the  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  have  also  attracted 
attention,  and  it  seems  desirable  that  some 
note  on  this  list  should  appear  in  these 
pages. 


228         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

The  list  issued  by  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette 
is  as  follows: 

Non-Christian  Moralists. 
Marcus  Aurelius,  Meditations. 
Epictetus,  Encheiridion. 
Confucius,  Analects. 
Aristotle,  Ethics. 
Mahomet,  Koran. 

Theology  and  Devotion. 
Apostolic  Fathers,  Wake's  Collection. 
St.  Augustine,  Confessions. 
Thomas  a  Kempis,  Imitation. 
Pascal,  Pensees. 

Spinoza,  Tractatus  Theologico-Politicus. 
Butler,  Analogy. 

Jeremy  Taylor,  Holy  Living  and  Holy  Dying. 
Keble,  Christian  Year. 
Bunyan,  Pilgrim's  Progress. 

Classics. 
Aristotle,  Politics. 
Plato,  Phwdo  and  Republic. 
^Esop,  Fables. 
Demosthenes,  De  CoronA. 
Lucretius. 
Plutarch. 
Horace. 
Cicero,  De  Officiis,  De  Amicitid,  and  De  Senectute. 


One  Hundred  Books.  229 

Epic  Poetry. 
Homer,  Iliad  and.  Odyssey. 
Hesiod. 
Virgil. 

Niebelungenlied. 
Malory,  Morte  d 'Arthur. 

Eastern  Poetry. 
Mahabharata  and  Ramayana  (epitomised  by  Talboys 

Wheeler). 
Firdausi,  Shah-nameh  (translated  by  Atkinson). 
She-king  (Chinese  Odes). 

Greek  Dramatists. 
^Eschylus,  Prometheus,  The  House  of  Atreus,  Trilogy, 

or  Persce. 
Sophocles,  CEdipus,  Trilogy. 
Euripides,  Medea. 
Aristophanes,  The  Knights. 

History. 
Herodotus. 
Thucydides. 
Xenophon,  Anabasis. 
Tacitus,  Germania. 
Gibbon,  Decline  and  Fall. 
Voltaire,  Charles  XII.  or  Louis  XIV. 
Hume,  England. 
Grote,  Greece. 

Philosophy. 
Bacon,  Novum  Organum. 


230         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Mill,  Logic  and  Political  Economy. 
Darwin,  Origin  of  Species. 
Smith,  Wealth  of  Nations  (selection). 
Berkeley,  Human  Knowledge. 
Descartes,  Discourse  sur  la  MSthode. 
Locke,  Conduct  of  the  Understanding. 
Lewes,  History  of  Philosophy. 

Travels. 
Cook,  Voyages. 
Darwin,  Naturalist  in  the  Beagle. 

Poetry  and  General  Literature. 
Shakspeare. 
Milton. 
Dante. 
Spenser. 
Scott. 

Wordsworth. 
Pope. 
Southey. 
Longfellow. 

Goldsmith,  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 
Swift,  Gulliver's  Travels. 
Defoe,  Robinson  Crusoe. 
The  A  rabian  Nights. 
Don  Quixote. 
Boswell,  fohnson. 
Burke,  Select  Works. 

Essayists — Addison,    Hume,    Montaigne,    Macaulay, 
Emerson. 


One  Hundred  Books.  231 

Moliere. 

Sheridan. 

Carlyle,  Past  and  Present  and  French  Revolution. 

Goethe,  Faust  and  Wilhelm  Meister. 

Marivaux,  La  Vie  de  Marianne. 

Modern  Fiction. 
Selections  from — Thackeray,  Dickens,  George  Eliot, 
Kingsley,  Scott,  Bulwer-Lytton. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  by  the  reader 
that  this  list,  although  the  one  sent  round 
for  criticism  by  the  editor  of  the  Pall  Mall 
Gazette,  is  not  really  Sir  John  Lubbock's. 
This  will  be  found  on  p.  240.  Sir  John 
Lubbock's  address  was  not  given  in  full, 
and  the  list  drawn  up  by  the  Pall  Mall, 
from  the  reports  in  the  daily  papers,  con- 
tained in  fact  only  about  85  books. 

It  seems  necessary  to  allude  particularly 
to  this  imperfect  list,  because  it  is  the  only 
one  upon  which  the  critics  were  asked  to 
give  an  opinion,  and  their  criticisms  are 
peculiarly  interesting,  as  they  give  us  an 
important  insight  into  the  tastes  and 
opinions  of  our  teachers.  In  itself  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  make  a  list  that  will 


232         How  to  Form,  a  Library. 

be  practically  useful,  because  tastes  and 
needs  differ  so  widely,  that  a  course  of 
reading  suitable  for  one  man  may  be  quite 
unsuitable  for  another.  It  is  also  very 
doubtful  whether  a  conscientious  passage 
through  a  "  cut-and-dried "  list  of  books 
will  feed  the  mind  as  a  more  original  selec- 
tion by  each  reader  himself  would  do.  It 
is  probably  best  to  start  the  student  well 
on  his  way  and  then  leave  him  to  pursue 
it  according  to  his  own  tastes.  Each  book 
will  help  him  to  another,  and  consultation 
with  some  of  the  many  manuals  of  English 
literature  will  guide  him  towards  a  good 
choice.  This  is  in  effect  what  Mr.  Bond, 
Principal  Librarian  of  the  British  Museum, 
says  in  his  reply  to  the  circular  of  the 
editor  of  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette.  He  writes 
— "The  result  of  several  persons  putting 
down  the  titles  of  books  they  considered 
'best  reading x  would  be  an  interesting  but 
very  imperfect  bibliography  of  as  many 
sections  of  literature;"  and,  again,  "The 
beginner  should  be  advised  to  read  histories 
of    the   literature   of    his    own   and    other 


One  Hundred  Books.  233 

countries — as  Hallam's  'Introduction  to  the 
Literature  of  Europe,'  Joseph  Warton's 
'History  of  English  Poetry,'  Craik's  'History 
of  English  Literature,'  Paine's  History,  and 
others  of  the  same  class.  These  would  give 
him  a  survey  of  the  field,  and  would  quicken 
his  taste  for  what  was  naturally  most  con- 
genial to  him." 

There  probably  is  no  better  course  of 
reading  than  that  which  will  naturally  occur 
to  one  who  makes  an  honest  attempt  to 
master  our  own  noble  literature.  This  is 
sufficient  for  the  lifetime  of  most  men  with- 
out incursions  into  foreign  literature.  All 
cultivated  persons  will  wish  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  masterpieces  of  other 
nations,  but  this  diversion  will  not  be  ad- 
visable if  it  takes  the  reader  away  from 
the  study  of  the  masterpieces  of  his  own 
literature. 

Turning  to  the  comments  on  the  Pall 
Mall  Gazette's  list,  we  may  note  one  or  two 
of  the  most  important  criticisms.  The 
Prince  of  Wales  very  justly  suggested  that 
Dryden  should  not  be  omitted  from  such 


234        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

a  list.  Mr.  Chamberlain  asked  whether  the 
Bible  was  excluded  by  accident  or  design, 
and  Mr.  Irving  suggested  that  the  Bible 
and  Shakespeare  form  together  a  very  com- 
prehensive library. 

Mr.  Ruskin's  reply  is  particularly  interest- 
ing, for  he  adds  but  little,  contenting  himself 
with  the  work  of  destruction.  He  writes, 
"  Putting  my  pen  lightly  through  the  need- 
less— and  blottesquely  through  the  rubbish 
and  poison  of  Sir  John's  list — I  leave  enough 
for  a  life's  liberal  reading — and  choice  for 
any  true  worker's  loyal  reading.  I  have 
added  one  quite  vital  and  essential  book — 
Livy  (the  two  first  books),  and  three  plays 
of  Aristophanes  {Clouds,  Birds,  and  Piutus). 
Of  travels,  I  read  myself  all  old  ones  I  can 
get  hold  of;  of  modern,  Humboldt  is  the 
central  model.  Forbes  (James  Forbes  in 
Alps)  is  essential  to  the  modern  Swiss 
tourist — of  sense."  Mr.  Ruskin  puts  the  word 
all  to  Plato,  everything  to  Carlyle,  and  every 
word  to  Scott.  Pindar's  name  he  adds  in 
the  list  of  the  classics,  and  after  Bacon's 
name  he  writes  " chiefly  the  New  Atlantis" 


One  Hundred  Books.  235 

The  work  of  destruction  is  marked  by 
the  striking  out  of  all  the  Non- Christian 
Moralists,  of  all  the  Theology  and  Devotion, 
with  the  exception  of  Jeremy  Taylor  and 
the  Pilgrim 's  Progress.  The  Nibelungenlied 
and  Malory's  Morte  d' 'Arthur  (which,  by 
the  way,  is  in  prose)  go  out,  as  do  Sophocles 
and  Euripides  among  the  Greek  Dramatists. 
The  Knights  is  struck  out  to  make  way  for 
the  three  plays  of  Aristophanes  mentioned 
above.  Gibbon,  Voltaire,  Hume,  and  Grote 
all  go,  as  do  all  the  philosophers  but  Bacon. 
Cook's  Voyages  and  Darwin's  Naturalist 
in  the  Beagle  share  a  similar  fate.  Southey, 
Longfellow,  Swift,  Hume,  Macaulay,  and 
Emerson,  Goethe  and  Marivaux,  all  are  so 
unfortunate  as  to  have  Mr.  Ruskin's  pen 
driven  through  their  names.  Among  the 
novelists  Dickens  and  Scott  only  are  left. 
The  names  of  Thackeray,  George  Eliot, 
Kingsley,  and  Bulwer-Lytton  are  all  erased. 
Mr.  Ruskin  sent  a  second  letter  full  of 
wisdom  till  he  came  to  his  reasons  for 
striking  out  Grote's  "  History  of  Greece," 
"  Confessions  of  St.  Augustine,"  John  Stuart 


236        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Mill,  Charles  Kingsley,  Darwin,  Gibbon, 
and  Voltaire.  With  these  reasons  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  few  readers  will  agree. 

Mr.  Swinburne  makes  a  new  list  of  his 
own  which  is  very  characteristic.  No.  3 
consists  of  "  Selections  from  the  Bible  : 
comprising  Job,  the  Psalms,  Ecclesiastes, 
the  Song  of  Solomon,  Isaiah,  Ezekiel,  Joel ; 
the  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke, 
the  Gospel  and  the  First  Epistle  of  St.  John 
and  Epistle  of  St.  James."  No.  12  is 
Villon,  and  Nos.  45  to  49  consist  of  the 
plays  of  Ford,  Dekker,  Tourneur,  Marston, 
and  Middleton  ;  names  very  dear  to  the 
lover  of  our  old  Drama,  but  I  venture  to 
think  names  somewhat  inappropriate  in  a 
list  of  books  for  a  reader  who  does  not  make 
the  drama  a  speciality.  Lamb's  Selections 
would  be  sufficient  for  most  readers. 

Mr.  William  Morris  supplies  a  full  list 
with  explanations,  which  are  of  considerable 
interest  as  coming  from  that  distinguished 
poet. 

Archdeacon  Farrar  gives,  perhaps,  the 
best  test  for  a  favourite  author,  that  is,  the 


One  Hundred  Books.  237 

selection  of  his  works  in  the  event  of  all 
others  being  destroyed.  He  writes,  "  But 
if  all  the  books  in  the  world  were  in  a  blaze, 
the  first  twelve  which  I  should  snatch  out 
of  the  flames  would  be  the  Bible,  Imitaiio 
Christi,  Homer,  .^Eschylus,  Thucydides, 
Tacitus,  Virgil,  Marcus  Aurelius,  Dante, 
Shakespeare,  Milton,  Wordsworth.  Of 
living  authors  I  would  save  first  the  works 
of  Tennyson,  Browning  and  Ruskin." 

Another  excellent  test  is  that  set  up  by 
travellers  and  soldiers.  A  book  must  be 
good  when  one  of  either  of  these  classes 
decides  to  place  it  among  his  restricted  bag- 
gage. Mr.  H.  M.  Stanley  writes,  "You  ask 
me  what  books  I  carried  with  me  to  take 
across  Africa.  I  carried  a  great  many — 
three  loads,  or  about  180  lbs.  weight;  but 
as  my  men  lessened  in  numbers,  stricken  by 
famine,  fighting  and  sickness,  they  were  one 
by  one  reluctantly  thrown  away,  until  finally, 
when  less  than  300  miles  from  the  Atlantic, 
I  possessed  only  the  Bible,  Shakespeare, 
Carlyle's  Sartor  Resartus,  Norie's  Naviga- 
tion,   and     Nautical    Almanac    for    1877. 


238         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Poor  Shakspeare  was  afterwards  burned  by 
demand  of  the  foolish  people  of  Zinga. 
At  Bonea,  Carlyle  and  Norie  and  Nautical 
Almanac  were  pitched  away,  and  I  had  only 
the  old  Bible  left."  He  then  proceeds  to 
give  a  list  of  books  which  he  allowed  him- 
self when  "  setting  out  with  a  tidy  battalion 
of  men." 

Lord  Wolseley  writes,  "During  the  mutiny 
and  China  war  I  carried  a  Testament,  two 
volumes  of  Shakespeare  that  contained  his 
best  plays,  and  since  then,  when  in  the  field, 
I  have  always  carried :  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  Thomas  a  Kempis,  Soldier's  Pocket 
Book  ....  The  book  that  I  like  reading  at 
odd  moments  is  '  The  Meditations  of  Marcus 
Aurelius.'  "  He  then  adds,  for  any  distant 
expedition,  a  few  books  of  History  (Creasy's 
"  Decisive  Battles,"  Plutarch's  "  Lives," 
Voltaire's  "  Charles  XII.,"  "  Csesar,"  by 
Froude,  and  Hume's  "  England  ").  His 
Fiction  is  confined  to  Macaulay's  "  History 
of  England  "  and  the  "  Essays." 

Mr.  Quaritch  remarks  that  "  Sir  John's 
'  working  man '  is  an  ideal  creature.    I  have 


One  Hundred  Books.  239 

known  many  working  men,  but  none  of  them 
could  have  suggested  such  a  feast  as  he  has 
prepared  for  them."  He  adds,  "  In  my 
younger  days  I  had  no  books  whatever 
beyond  my  school  books.  Arrived  in  London 
in  1842,  I  joined  a  literary  institution,  and 
read  all  their  historical  works.  To  read 
fiction  I  had  no  time.  A  friend  of  mine 
read  novels  all  night  long,  and  was  one 
morning  found  dead  in  his  bed."  If  Mr. 
Quaritch  intends  this  as  a  warning,  he  should 
present  the  fact  for  the  consideration  of 
those  readers  who  swell  the  numbers  of 
novels  in  the  statistics  of  the  Free  Libraries. 
Looking  at  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette's  list,  it 
naturally  occurs  to  us  that  it  would  be  a 
great  error  for  an  Englishman  to  arrange  his 
reading  so  that  he  excluded  Chaucer  while 
he  included  Confucius.  Among  the  names 
of  modern  novelists  it  is  strange  that  Jane 
Austen  and  Charlotte  Bronte  should  have 
been  omitted.  In  Sir  John  Lubbock's  own 
list  it  will  be  seen  that  the  names  of  Chaucer 
and  Miss  Austen  occur.  Among  Essayists 
one  would  like  to  have  seen  at  least  the  names 


240        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

of  Charles  Lamb,  De  Quincey,  and  Landor, 
and  many  will  regret  to  find  such  delightful 
writers  as  Walton  and  Thomas  Fuller  omitted. 
We  ought,  however,  to  be  grateful  to  Sir 
John  Lubbock  for  raising  a  valuable  dis- 
cussion which  is  likely  to  draw  the  attention 
of  many  readers  to  books  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  most  unjustly  neglected 
by  them.1 

The  following  is  Sir  John  Lubbock's  list. 
It  will  be  seen  that  several  of  the  books, 
whose  absence  is  remarked  on,  do  really 
form  part  of  the  list,  and  that  the  objections 
of  the  critics  are  so  far  met. 

The  Bible. 


Marcus  Aurelius,  Meditations. 

Epictetus. 

Confucius,  Analects. 

Le  Bouddha  et  sa  Religion  (St.-Hilaire). 

Aristotle,  Ethics. 

1  The  whole  of  the  correspondence  has  been  re- 
issued as  a  Pall  Mall  "Extra,''''  No.  24,  and  three- 
pence will  be  well  laid  out  by  the  purchaser  of  this 
very  interesting  pamphlet. 


One  Hundred  Books.  241 

Mahomet,  Koran  (parts  of). 

Apostolic  Fathers,  Wake's  collection. 

St.  Augustine,  Confessions. 

Thomas  a  Kempis,  Imitation. 

Pascal,  Pense'es. 

Spinoza,  Tractatus  Theologico-Politicus. 

Comte,  Cat.  of  Positive  Philosophy  (Congreve). 

Butler,  Analogy. 

Jeremy  Taylor,  Holy  Living  and  Holy  Dying. 

Bunyan,  Pilgrim's  Progress. 

Keble,  Christian  Year. 


Aristotle,  Politics. 

Plato's  Dialogues — at  any  rate  the  Phcedo  and  Republic. 

Demosthenes,  De  Corond. 

Lucretius. 

Plutarch. 

Horace. 

Cicero,  De  Officiis,  De  Amiciiid,  De  Seueclute. 


Homer,  Iliad  and  Odyssey. 

Hesiod. 

Virgil. 

Niebelungenlied. 

Malory,  Morte  d' 'Arthur. 


Maha-Bkarata,   Ramayana,    epitomized    by  Talboys 
Wheeler  in  the  first  two  vols,  of  his  History  of  India. 

16 


242         How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Firdusi,  Shah-nameh.     Translated  by  Atkinson. 
She-king  (Chinese  Odes). 


yEschylus,  Prometheus,  House  of  Atreus,  Trilogy,  or 

Perscz. 
Sophocles,  CEdipus,  Trilogy. 
Euripides,  Medea.  , 

Aristophanes,  The  Knights. 


Herodotus. 

Xenophon,  Anabasis. 

Thucydides. 

Tacitus,  Germania. 

Livy. 

Gibbon,  Decline  and  Fall. 

Hume,  England. 

Grote,  Greece. 

Carlyle,  French  Revolution. 

Green,  Short  History  of  England. 

Bacon,  Novum  Organum. 

Mill,  Logic  and  Political  Economy. 

Darwin,  Origin  of  Species. 

Smith,  Wealth  of  Nations  (part  of). 

Berkeley,  Human  Knowledge. 

Descartes,  Discours  sur  la  Methode. 

Locke,  Conduct  of  the  Understanding. 

Lewes,  History  of  Philosophy. 

Cook,  Voyages. 


One  Hundred  Books.  243 


Humboldt,  Travels. 

Darwin,  'Naturalist  in  the  Beagle. 


Shakespeare. 

Milton,  Faradise  Lost,  and  the  shorter  poems. 

Dante,  Divina  Commedia. 

Spenser,  Faerie  Queen. 

Dryden's  Poems. 

Chaucer,  Morris's  (or,  if  expurgated,  Clarke's  or  Mrs. 

Haweis's)  edition. 
Gray. 
Burns. 

Scott's  Poems. 

Wordsworth,  Mr.  Arnold's  selection. 
Heine. 
Pope. 
Southey. 


Goldsmith,  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 

Swift,  Gulliver's  Travels. 

Defoe,  Robinson  Crusoe. 

The  Arabian  Nights. 

Cervantes,  Don  Quixote. 

Boswell,  Johnson. 

Burke,  Select  Works  (Payne). 

Essayists  :  —  Bacon,    Addison,    Hume,    Montaigne, 

Macaulay,  Emerson. 
Moliere. 
Sheridan. 


.244        How  to  Form  a  Library. 

Voltaire,  Zaoh'g. 
Carlyle,  Past  and  Present. 
Goethe,  Faust,  Wilhelm  Meister. 
White,  Natural  History  of  Selborne. 
Smiles,  Self  Help. 


Miss  Austen,  either  Emma  or  Pride  and  Prejudice. 
Thackeray,  Vanity  Fair  and  Pendennts. 
Dickens,  Pickwick  and  David  Copperfield. 
George  Eliot,  Adam  Bede. 
Kingsley,  Westward  Ho  ! 
Bulwer-Lytton,  Last  Days  of  Pompeii. 
Scott's  Novels. 


INDEX 


— >«@oOo@»(— 

Abbotsford  Club,  187. 

Advocates'  Library,  Edinburgh,  Indecent  books  turned 

out,  18. 
yElfric  Society,  195. 
Arundel  Society,  200. 
Authors,  Bibliographies  of  particular,  181. 
Ballad  Society,  206. 
Bannatyne  Club,  186. 
Bibliographies  (General),  141- 159. 

(Special),  160-183. 

Bindings  in  Charles  I.'s  Cabinet,  29. 

Book  Collectors,  23. 

Books,  One  Hundred,  227-244. 

Booksellers,  Use  of,  58. 

Bossange  (Hector),  Ma  Bibliotheque  Francaise,  7. 

Burton's  Book  Hunter,  2,  53,  196. 

Buy,  How  to,  57-72. 

Calvin' Translation  Society,  197. 

Camden  Society,  190. 

Catalogues  of  Public  Libraries,  141. 

Cavendish  Society,  199. 

Caxton  Society,  198. 

Chaucer  Society,  28. 

Chetham  Society,  195. 


246  Index. 

Child's  Library,  217-226. 
Comte's  Positivist  Library,  131. 
Dibdin's  Library  Companion,  2. 
Dilettanti  Society,  184. 
Durie's  Reformed  Librarie  Keeper,  13. 
Early  English  Text  Society,  203. 
Ecclesiastical  History  Society,  199. 
Edwards  (Ed  ward),  Report  on  Formation  of  Manchester 
Free  Library,  4. 

Memoirs  of  Libraries,  5,  63. 

Libraries  and  Founders  of  Libraries,  29,  44. 

English  Dialect  Society,  212.   ■ 

English  Historical  Society,  191. 

Fiction  in  Public  Libraries,  81. 

Folk  Lore  Society,  210. 

Franklin's  foundation  of  the  Philadelphia  Library,  77. 

George  III.'s  list  of  books,  14. 

Goodhugh's  Library  Manual,  3. 

Hakluyt  Society,  200. 

Handel  Society,  198. 

Hanserd  Knollys  Society,  198. 

Harleian  Society,  209. 

Hellenic  Studies,  Society  for  the  promotion  of,  213. 

Hunterian  Club,  210. 

Index  Society,  213. 

Iona  Club,  189. 

Johnson's  (Dr.)  List  of  Books,  15, 

Libraries,  How  men  have  Formed  them,  23-56. 

(Cathedral),  75. 

(Monastic),  25. 

(Private),  89-140. 

(Public),  73-88. 

United  States  Report  on,  20,  75,  220. 

Louis  XVI.,  his  books  during  his  captivity,  43. 
Lubbock's  (Sir  John),  List  of  Books,  227-244. 


Index.  247 

Maitland  Club,  187. 

Manx  Society,  202. 

Middlesex  County  Record  Society,  215. 

Motett  Society,  194. 

Musical  Antiquarian  Society,  194. 

Napoleon's  Libraries,  44. 

Naude,  Gilbert,  9. 

Novels,  One  Hundred  Good,  138. 

in  Public  Libraries,  81. 

Oriental  Texts,  Society  for  the  Publication  of,  194. 

Oriental  Translation  Fund,  189. 

Ossianic  Society,  202. 

Oxford  Historical  Society,  215. 

Palseographical  Society,  213. 

Palaeontographical  Society,  200. 

Parker  Society,  192. 

Percy  Society,  193. 

Perkins's  Best  Reading,  8. 

Philobiblon  Society,  201. 

Pipe  Roll  Society,  215. 

Positivist  Library,  131. 

Printers,  Bibliographies  of  celebrated,  176. 

Ray  Society,  198. 

Reference,  Books  of,  91-129. 

Roxburghe  Club,  185. 

Roxburghe  Library,  209. 

Sales,  How  to  Buy  at,  63.  > 

Shakespeare  Society,  193. 

Shakspere  (New)  Society,  211. 

Societies  (Publishing),  184-216. 

Spalding  Club,  191. 

Spenser  Society,  209. 

Spottiswoode  Society,  195. 

Stevens  (Henry),  "My  English  Library,"  6. 

,  his  paper  on  Mr.  James  Lenox,  55,  64. 


248 


Index. 


Surtees  Society,  189. 
Sydenham  Society,  195. 
Topographical  Bibliographies,  179. 
Topographical  Society  of  London, 
Warton  Club,  202. 
Wernerian  Club,  198. 
Wodrow  Society,  194, 
Wyclif  Society,  215. 


:l4. 


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